Shattered Promises
by Lostheartdarkclan
Summary: "No cat ever expected it would come to this..." Second Book of DarkClan trilogy. Sequel to Shadows of the Heart. T for violence and dark themes. COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1: Return to DarkClan

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**I usually put these last, but whatever. This is the SECOND book of the DarkClan trilogy. If you haven't already I recommend reading the first book, Shadows of the Heart, first. You don't have to, but it will probably make a lot more sense if you do. Rated T for violence and possible profanity. I haven't drawn up a cover yet, but when I get the time I will. I may just stick in a filler for the cover at the moment. As I said before at the end of my last update, updates will probably be considerably slower for this story and for that I apologize. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy the story!**

* * *

Greysight stepped back into camp, taking in a deep breath of air and enjoying the fall breeze. The leaves had already begun to darken and fall off the trees in their territory. She padded to the center of camp and laid the rabbit she had caught on the hunting patrol in the fresh kill pile.

Browneyes padded beside her and did the same, making sure to deposit his catch of the day before meowing a quick "see you later" to Greysight. She smiled in response and watched the tom pad away, he was a good cat. Always courteous towards others, if only she could say the same for his brother.

Greysight grimaced. After the attack and Willowstar's declaration of war, Darkpelt had raised the number of patrols, making it extremely busy in the camp for every cat. Well, save for Sunstar.

You rarely saw him nowadays, the only time Greysight had ever felt him leave his den was when he led them to a Gathering or had to give an announcement, which he rarely did anymore.

It was strange Greysight decided. Things had always been tense with TreeClan, and even more so with Willowstar's vow to destroy their clan, but at the last Gathering everything had been completely normal. The tom gave no sign of outward hostility or even mentioned the previous events.

_'He has to be planning something.' _Greysight thought suspiciously, she knew Darkpelt must be thinking the same thing with number of patrols he organizes. The tom was extremely determined, Greysight was sure he even ran patrols by himself at the beginning and end of each day.

"Greysight! Greysight!"

Greysight's ear twitched and she turned to where her little sister was now running towards her. The Siamese she-cat skidded to a halt and breathed heavily with a wide smile on her face. Her large virescent eyes sparkled as she looked up to her sister.

Greysight smiled, "Hey, Mintpaw."

She lifted a paw to ruffle the fur on top of Mintpaw's head. The young she-cat giggled softly and pushed her paw away.

"Roseclaw wanted me to come get you." she meowed happily.

Greysight nodded, "Ok."

Mintpaw's entire being lit up as she walked across the clearing to the medicine cat den, chatting away about her training.

As a kit, Mintpaw decided she wanted to be a medicine cat and not a warrior. While Greysight knew this pleased Longtail, she was sure Sunstar wouldn't accept it seeing as they only had a handful of warriors, but the tom said nothing and merely brushed the issue aside. It was almost as if he had given up and didn't care anymore.

Greysight knew it put them into an even tighter spot, but as long as Mintpaw was happy was all that mattered to her. She was such a kindhearted kit, Greysight hoped Mintpaw would never have to experience the horrors she had gone through when she was younger.

Mintpaw and Greysight slowed to a stop halfway across the clearing when Longtail began to approach them. Greysight frowned as she felt the limp in Longtail's walk, her leg had never healed properly and Sunstar retired her early. Greysight still felt guilty about what had happened, but she knew she shouldn't blame herself.

Longtail limped over to her two daughters, "Where are you two off to?" she purred good-naturedly.

Greysight could tell Longtail tried to stay positive, but Greysight could tell by the lack of breath in her voice that even walking had become a difficult task for her. Longtail was stubborn as always and refused to take it easy, saying she wasn't senile yet.

"We're going to see Roseclaw! She wanted me to get Greysight." Mintpaw meowed.

Longtail nodded, "Alright, but you better come and talk to me later."

"We will." Greysight and Mintpaw responded in unison.

Longtail rolled her eyes as she watched her daughters walk toward the medicine cat den, smiling at their retreating figures. Mintpaw looked up to Greysight so much, and Longtail knew how much Greysight cared for her little sister. The thought made her happy, forgetting about all the hardships their clan was going through.

"Took you long enough!"

Greysight smirked as she heard Roseclaw's annoyed tone. The white she-cat was sitting outside the medicine cat den with Lostheart sitting quietly by her side.

"Good, I wouldn't want to impress you." Greysight meowed. She smiled at Roseclaw's familiar pout and turned to Mintpaw.

"Why don't you go and talk to Longtail while I talk to Roseclaw."

The young apprentice nodded hurriedly, hanging on to Greysight's every word.

"Ok!"

Mintpaw scrambled off quickly back to Longtail, leaving Greysight with Roseclaw and Lostheart.

Greysight smiled at the two sisters.

The day she and Lostheart had stumbled back into camp, both bleeding like crazy, Roseclaw had freaked out and forbidden them from leaving the medicine cat den. When Roseclaw asked what happened, Greysight had told her she had gotten attacked by a fox, and if Lostheart hadn't been there she might have died.

Lostheart had remained silent when she said those words and gave no outward reaction, Roseclaw had sighed and told her she needed to stop pushing herself so much.

After the fight, Greysight had approached Lostheart and asked if she would train with her. The she-cat seemed surprised, but agreed nonetheless. Greysight had never met another cat who could keep up with her like Lostheart and she was sure the she-cat would be able to help with her training.

Greysight could tell Lostheart was still very inverted and often didn't say too much during her and Roseclaw's banter, but she felt like the she-cat was slowly opening up. She had even managed to convince Lostheart to move her nest to the other side of the warriors den near her and invited the she-cat to eat with her and Roseclaw.

Roseclaw acted as if she hadn't even realized how distant Lostheart had become and never gave it a second thought. Greysight doubted she even realized how much she and the others had been alienating her sister.

* * *

Lostheart's strange eyes watched silently as Roseclaw and Greysight began to argue with one another.

It was still strange to her.

That night, Greysight had helped her...she still didn't understand why.

The she-cat was surprised even further when Greysight had approached her asking if they could train together. Despite her confusion, she agreed to help her.

She had even told her to move her nest over to the opposite side of the den as well, saying that she-cats needed to stick together. Greysight also invited Lostheart to eat with her, although the two didn't talk too much.

She was used to being ignored and not spoken to, it felt strange now that someone was acknowledging her.

"We still have to go on that patrol." Lostheart meowed, snapping Greysight and Roseclaw out of their argument.

"Oh yeah." Greysight murmured and shrugged. "I almost forgot, don't see how I could though with all the patrols Darkpelt assigns."

Lostheart didn't reply, figuring it was the end of the conversation, and stood up emotionlessly padding towards the tree tunnel.

"I'll wait for you by the camp entrance." she meowed.

Greysight shook her head and stood up quickly, "Hold on, I'm coming. See ya Roseclaw!"

Greysight sprinted up so that she and Lostheart were walking side-by-side now.

Several crows cawed loudly from up in the dark canopy as the two cats walked through the forest along the border. It was quiet as they walked beside the cliffside and along the river.

Lostheart's eyes slowly glanced to the side when she noticed the way Greysight's expression had changed and she was know watching the ground with a pained expression.

Lostheart returned her gaze to the path in front of them, choosing not to bother Greysight. The two cats had to walk around the large mound of dirt that now sat at the edge of the fields, choosing to not think about the multiple bodies now buried beneath the rubble.

They were walking along the stream in the fields now, making their way down to the ravine. The two cats were each so focused in their own minds that they barely heard the sound of someone calling out to them.

Both she-cats paused and looked across the stream, seeing a patrol of TreeClan cats. Greysight's paws twitched in anger when she recognized Pinepaw and Eaglepaw among the four cats.

Lostheart gave no outward sign of any emotion and turned to the group dully.

"What do you want!" Greysight hissed across the water.

Pinepaw flicked his tail and the two other cats continued on their way down the stream and past the two she-cats.

"That's no way to treat one of your friends." Pinepaw jeered with a smirk on his face.

Greysight's fur bristled at his comment, while the TreeClan cats ignored her rage.

"We just wanted to talk is all, after all, it's not every day you run into both the blind cat and the freakshow at the same time."

Eaglepaw laughed from beside Pinepaw, while the latter just rolled his eyes at his friend's idiocy.

"Come on Lostheart, let's go. We don't have time to deal with annoying little _apprentices._"

Her words caused Eaglepaw to stop laughing and glare at the blind she-cat. Pinepaw sneered from beside him.

"Actually we're warriors now, and of high rank at that. Willowstar trusts us to carry out the most important needs of the clan."

Eaglepaw meowed haughtily.

"Right that's very interesting Eaglepaw, but Lostheart and I really should be on our way, so if you'll excuse us."

Greysight replied turning away from the TreeClan cats.

Pinepaw sneered in annoyance. "Fine, and it's Pineneedle and Eagleclaw now. Don't think you and your pathetic clan are safe. In the end, we'll be the ones on top."

With that final statement, the two tabbies turned from the she-cats and continued on their way. Greysight spat onto the ground and turned to Lostheart.

"Let's go." she meowed angrily.

Lostheart made a slight nod and continued walking through the tall grasses with Greysight by her side.

"I don't know how you can stay so calm all the time." Greysight meowed.

Lostheart's eyes rolled over to the she-cat before looking forward thoughtfully. "It just doesn't bother me."

Greysight was a little surprised Lostheart had responded to her, the sound of her cold voice made Greysight jump slightly.

"You must get angry sometime." Greysight replied.

"No."

Greysight frowned lightly, but said nothing as they continued their patrol. Eventually the two cats made it past the ravine and Fourtrees and were now finishing along the OceanClan border. Although they rarely had problems with OceanClan, it was still necessary to check it out.

Greysight and Lostheart were finishing their patrol as they padded through the swampier part of the territory.

Greysight had been down this way a few times, but she had never encountered any problems. Darkpelt and Sunstar were always speaking about the numerous rogues and other cats that often wandered into their territory from twolegplace, but she had yet to see any sign of trouble.

It was around sundown when they finished their patrol and padded into camp. Darkpelt's eyes flickered over to them when they entered, but he said nothing.

"I'll see you later, I'm going to go check on Mintpaw."

Greysight thought she could see a hint of surprise in Lostheart's eyes.

"Ok."

Greysight nodded and padded away from Lostheart, intent on finding her little sister.

She smiled when she found her eating a mouse outside the medicine cat den.

"Hey" Greysight greeted.

Mintpaw's eyes snapped up at the sound of Greysight's voice. "Greysight! You're back!"

"Yup, I just came to see how you were doing. I know Roseclaw can be a real slavedriver sometimes."

"I HEARD THAT!"

Mintpaw giggled at Roseclaw's outburst from inside the medicine cat den. " It's great! Tomorrow is my first solo assignment. We don't have a lot of catmint, so it's my job to find us some."

Greysight purred at her enthusiasm, "I know you'll do great."

"Thanks Greysight!"

Greysight smiled. "Now get some rest, you can't mess up that assignment."

Mintpaw nodded and retreated inside the medicine cat den. Greysight stood back up and stretched her paws lightly. The crickets were already chirping loudly now and the clan had retreated to their dens.

Greysight made her way to the warriors den and paused when Darkpelt stepped out of the leader's den.

_'Reporting to Sunstar.' _Greysight thought.

The white tom barely even glanced at her as he brushed past and entered the warriors den. Greysight scowled at his rudeness and followed him inside, intent on getting a full night of sleep.

* * *

**And so it begins.**


	2. Chapter 2: Trouble

Greysight shifted in her sleep at the sound of a slight ringing sensation in her ears. She shook her head, trying to get rid of the noise and opened her eyes.

Her starry surroundings surprised her greatly, as did the ability to see again. Greysight stood up in confusion and looked around the faint forest as it sparkled in the night. Ever since the battle, Greysight hadn't had any more dreams or nightmares. She thought they had finally gone away.

_'Why am I here?'_ She wondered as she stepped forward into the trees. It was the exact same as DarkClan territory, the only difference being the faint opacity of the trees and the stars that sparkled in its midst.

Behind her, a twig snapped and she turned mid-step to see who was behind her. Greysight's eyes widened when she recognized Mosspelt's young, starry form.

"Mosspelt..." Greysight whispered.

The medicine cat dipped her head in greeting, "Hello, Greysight."

Greysight could only watch the she-cat and gulped visibly.

"Why have you called me here?"

"Greysight, I sense a dark presence looming over you. You must be extremely careful of those you decide to trust."

Greysight looked at the she-cat in confusion, "What do you mean?"

"Just listen to me, Greysight." Mosspelt continued, ignoring Greysight's question.

"If you don't, you may lose someone very close to you."

Greysight was silent and watched as Mosspelt closed her eyes and began to fade away.

"Wait!"

Mosspelt paused and opened her eyes, watching the fiery black she-cat.

"Before- You said Willowstar was never accepted by StarClan. Then does that mean he never got his nine lives?"

Mosspelt stared at Greysight in silence, and Greysight could tell she wasn't going to answer her.

"Please tell me." she meowed.

Mosspelt shook her head and faded into the forest, her voice echoing around the space.

"I cannot."

* * *

The next morning, Greysight woke up feeling more confused than ever. Why was Mosspelt coming to her about these things? How was she even supposed to do anything about it when the she-cat never even gave her a straight answer?

Greysight groaned in frustration and rolled over, but got up when she remembered that she and Lostheart had planned to train some more today.

She noticed the other nests were already empty, so either no one bothered to wake her up or they were trying to be nice and let her sleep in. Whichever one it truly was wasn't important and Greysight chose to accept the latter.

She stepped out of the warriors den and into the clearing. The clouds above were as grey as ever and it had become quite breezy. Greysight knew that soon it would be leafbare and they needed to stock up on as much prey as possible.

She walked over to the fresh kill pile and plucked up a squirrel for herself, absentmindedly, she scanned the clearing, but found no sign of Lostheart.

_'She must have left already.'_

Greysight did however notice Roseclaw as the medicine cat waltzed up to her and flopped down at her side.

"Looks like I can finally take a break." she meowed.

Greysight rolled her eyes. "Where's Mintpaw?"

"I sent her to find some catmint, she left earlier while you were asleep." Roseclaw's blue eyes suddenly became serious, "We barely have any left and it's a hard herb to find. Which is really bad considering it's almost leafbare. Longtail and Browneyes already are starting to develop coughs and I'm sure Darkpelt has as well, he's just trying to hide it."

Roseclaw noticed the worried look that suddenly stretched across her friend's face and gently nudged her on the shoulder. "Don't worry about it. It's nothing big, they're just small coughs. We just need to make sure they don't escalate into something bigger is all."

Greysight nodded mutedly, but Roseclaw could tell she was still feeling nervous about it. Roseclaw shifted uncomfortably and made an attempt to change the subject.

"So where are you off to today?"

This seemed to break Greysight out of her mood and turn her attention back to Roseclaw. "I asked Lostheart to train with me, I'm gonna meet her after I finish this squirrel." she meowed before taking another bite.

Roseclaw nodded and a silence overtook the two cats as Greysight finished her meal.

"Does Lostheart ever get mad?"

Roseclaw blinked at the unexpected question, surprise written all over her face. Greysight watched Roseclaw pause for a moment before she looked back at her. The white she-cat shrugged causing her fluffy white fur to bounce lightly.

"Not really. It would probably take _a lot_ to get her mad. Why? You're not planning on doing something are you?"

Roseclaw was now eyeing Greysight suspiciously. "Because I can tell you that isn't a good idea."

Greysight laughed. "No, I was just curious. She's always so calm, I was just wondering."

She stood up and quickly buried the remains of her meal before heading out of camp. She paused when she felt Roseclaw running back towards her and turned toward the she-cat questioningly.

"Can I come and watch? I've got nothing better to do."

Greysight shrugged. "Sure."

A smirk soon grew across her face. "Maybe you can train too, even medicine cats need to be able to defend themselves."

Roseclaw laughed nervously, but she soon realized Greysight wasn't joking and slumped her shoulders in defeat.

"Fine."

Greysight grinned and led Roseclaw out of camp, mind set on getting to the training hollow.

* * *

Lostheart had taken her free time in the morning to go on a quick hunt. She had managed to catch a small sparrow and two mice in the fields. After burying her kill, she went to the training hollow to wait for Greysight.

She didn't mind training with her. Even though they were warriors now, it was still a good idea to keep themselves sharp.

Lostheart chose to sit by the large log at the edge of the clearing, using it as something to lean on. The claw marks from warriors past were still visible in its trunk.

She remembered when Ivyfoot had made her train with the log as well, but the thought left her mind as quickly as she had thought of it, intent on not dwelling in the past.

Her ear twitched at the sound of approaching pawsteps and she rose to her paws as Greysight and Roseclaw strolled into the clearing.

She was a little surprised by Roseclaw's presence, but figured she had come along to train as well.

"I hope you don't mind if I brought Roseclaw, but I thought we could-"

"I know. It's fine."

Lostheart watched as Greysight's mouth closed and she shrugged. Lostheart's eyes flickered between the two she-cats.

"You two can go first." she meowed and padded to the side of the clearing where she could watch at a safe distance.

Roseclaw groaned audibly.

"Come on, you can do it." Greysight prompted and pushed Roseclaw to the center of the training hollow.

"We'll do a few moves and practice exercises first, don't worry about it." she continued.

"Fine, but if you hurt me Greysight I swear I'm gonna get you back." Roseclaw replied

Greysight rolled her sightless eyes, "Yeah, yeah. Let's get started already!"

* * *

"I've kept a close eye on all the borders, and I can now confirm there has been no foul play made by TreeClan. Or anyone else for that matter. I'll continue keeping the patrols constant, we won't let them take us by surprise."

Sunstar's hard green eyes shifted to where Darkpelt stood before him, giving a report.

"Very well. Now get out, I need peace."

Darkpelt stood firm and gave a slight nod before backing out of the leader's den.

"Of course."

Once outside, Darkpelt stalked away from Sunstar's den angrily. It was like Sunstar didn't even care about all the work he was doing.

Darkpelt sat down in frustration, it wouldn't be like this if his father was still leader. He lowered his gaze and dug his claws into the ground. He sacrificed everything for DarkClan and Sunstar didn't even care.

"No matter how much you glare at it, you're never going to scare the ground."

Darkpelt looked up to see his brother standing in front of him. The white tom grumbled and stood up once more

"Where are the she-cats?" Darkpelt demanded.

Browneyes shrugged, "They went out earlier, don't know what for."

Darkpelt scoffed, of course they would leave the minute they were needed for actual work. Browneyes noticed his brother's dark gaze and sighed.

"They're not so bad Darkpelt."

Darkpelt didn't reply to his brother and instead chose to go back to the warriors den, Browneyes watching him sadly from behind.

* * *

Roseclaw flopped onto the ground breathing heavily.

"That's it, I'm done!" she huffed.

Greysight stood in front of her, rolling her eyes at the dramatic she-cat while Lostheart remained watching quietly by the side.

"That was good." Greysight meowed encouragingly. "Not as good as me, but still."

Roseclaw rolled over, "Oh shut up."

It was true though, Roseclaw had done very well. They had practiced how to dodge and where attacks are to be aimed as well as transferring power into the attack. The medicine cat was able to pull off the basics after a few tries.

With great difficulty, Roseclaw pulled herself back up and slumped over to where Lostheart sat beside the log.

"Your turn now." she breathed.

Greysight smirked, "You know-"

Just then a horrified scream rang out through the forest causing both Greysight and Roseclaw to jump. The screams continued and Greysight's eyes widened as she recognized the voice.

_'Mintpaw!'_

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**I found a really nice song that pertains pretty well to Lostheart-Silenthshadow-Ivyfoot- and even Greysight. **

**-Megan Nicole and Tiffany Alvord-Safe and Sound lyrics (search tht if u wanna hear it)**

**Anywho, another chapter. D: What could be happening? I don't know exactly how long this book will be, but I can tell you what will be in it becuz of my lack of writing summaries.**

**More Darkpelt and Browneyes, the mysteries surrounding Willowstar, many new revelations and MORE! :D lolcheesy but I cant say too much without giving anything away**

**Lost Out**


	3. Chapter 3: Stranger

The three she-cats immediately turned to look at each other before Greysight ran off into the trees with Lostheart following closely behind. Roseclaw blinked at her much faster clanmates and rushed to keep up with them.

Greysight ran through the forest towards the sound of Mintpaw's scream, her heart pounding in her chest.

They should have never let Mintpaw go out on her own! If anything happened to her, Greysight would never forgive herself.

Lostheart trailed behind the blind she-cat, knowing that Greysight would be able to pinpoint the location of the noise.

The two she-cats burst into a small clearing close to where the forest broke off into the fields. Lostheart and Greysight immediately froze when they noticed another figure standing in the shade. Greysight felt her heart stop as she realized they were standing over an unmoving body.

Greysight felt her blood begin to boil and turned her attention to the other cat, growling menacingly. Lostheart watched as the cat looked up in surprise at the two she-cats.

"Get away from her you worthless piece of foxdung!" Greysight hissed, crouching into a fighting position."

The cat let out what sounded like a small laugh and stepped out of the shadows. Greysight and Lostheart were both surprised by the pale she-cat that stepped out of the darkness. Her worn, matted fur was a pale shade of grey and her eyes were closed as she smirked at the two she-cats.

This cat was unfamiliar to either of them, her scent unrecognizable.

_'A rogue.' _Lostheart realized.

Neither Greysight nor Lostheart had ever come across a rogue before, let alone a cat not involved with one of the clans, an outsider.

Lostheart and Greysight watched suspiciously from their position as the she-cat slowly opened her eyes. Inside, Lostheart felt a feeling of shock as she looked into the she cat's eyes.

They were two separate colors.

One was a silver, while the other was the same color, but a considerably darker shade.

Lostheart thought she could see the she-cat have a momentary lapse of surprise as her eyes met Lostheart's, but they became vicious once more when she noticed her and Greysight's threatening forms.

Roseclaw had padded up behind the two she-cats and was now watching frozen from behind. The she cat's eyes flickered amongst the three cats and she smirked once more.

A cat who looked like they didn't know anything about fighting, a blind cat, and a cat with only one eye. Even though she was outnumbered, she knew she could take them easily.

"Make me."

Greysight snapped and let out a howl of rage as she ran at the unknown she-cat. Lostheart wasn't surprised by Greysight's outburst and quickly followed behind to back her up.

Not only was this she-cat trespassing on their territory, but she had attacked Mintpaw as well. They couldn't let her get away.

The rogue's eyes became serious and she crouched down, preparing herself for the attack. Was this a joke? She couldn't believe these cats were actually about to try and fight her.

Her eyes widened as the two she-cats flew at her, their speed was impressive. She ducked out of the way of the blind cat's attack, but wasn't quick enough to avoid the slash from the other cat that tore across her side.

She hissed in pain and leapt away from the black cat, instead choosing to attack the blind one. Greysight easily slipped through her outstretched paws and pushed her roughly away into Lostheart who made an attempt to grab at the she-cat.

The rogue swiveled around and flicked her claw in a strange motion neither of the two cats had seen before, luckily Lostheart was able to avoid the attack.

The rogue didn't know how these cats were doing it, but she soon realized she had picked a bad fight to be outnumbered on.

Roseclaw watched in fear on the sidelines as the three cats fought in the clearing, but her eyes soon rolled over to Mintpaw's body. Warily glancing at the fighting cats, Roseclaw rushed over to where Mintpaw lay.

The young apprentice was lying very still, but didn't seem to be injured in any way. Roseclaw tried to wake the she-cat up by prodding her with her paw, but she gave no reaction.

Roseclaw figured she was unconscious and gently grabbed hold of Mintpaw's body, proceeding to sneak off into the woods. She felt bad about leaving Greysight and Lostheart, but she knew she had to get the apprentice out of danger.

* * *

The rogue hissed in pain as she was shoved to the ground by the blind she-cat, she felt claws instantly at her throat and closed her eyes, preparing for the worst.

Greysight hissed at the rogue and tightened her grip, preparing to end her.

"Stop."

The sound of Lostheart's voice made Greysight freeze and relax her grip lightly. The rogue under her warily opened one eye, she was sure the blind cat was about to kill her.

"We're taking her with us." Lostheart meowed.

The rogue's eyes widened slightly and she made a move to push Greysight off of her. The black she-cat felt it coming and easily pinned her down, unable to move.

"It's useless." Greysight growled at the rogue. The grey cat said nothing and glared hatefully at the blind she-cat.

The rogue said nothing as Greysight stepped off of her and let her stand up completely. The she-cat towered over Greysight and was even one or two inches taller than Lostheart. She could have even been taller than Roseclaw.

Greysight stood by the she-cat with her claws outstretched. Lostheart padded up to them and looked at the she-cat coldly.

"Try anything and I won't stop my clanmate from killing you." she warned.

The rogue narrowed her eyes, but said nothing as she was pushed forward by Greysight. She wasn't stupid enough to try and escape, she had no doubt that the she-cats would be able to catch her easily.

* * *

Roseclaw had taken Mintpaw to the medicine cat and placed her in her nest. The young apprentice had yet to wake up, but Roseclaw knew it was only a matter of time.

Now she was just waiting anxiously for Lostheart and Greysight to return. She had avoided letting the other cats see her sneak in with Mintpaw to prevent Darkpelt from flipping out, but she was sure the tom would find out sooner or later.

Browneyes, Darkpelt, and Longtail were all relaxing in the clearing right now. Roseclaw sighed looking down at Mintpaw's body and stepped out of the medicine cat den.

Her ear twitched as she heard the sound of pawsteps coming through the tree tunnel. She stood up to greet her friends, but froze when the two she-cats padded into camp with the rogue in-between them.

All the cats had turned at their entry and immediately rose to their paws at the sight of the stranger. The rogue herself had her ears back and was glaring hatefully around the camp.

Browneyes was watching the she-cats in surprise and flinched when he heard Darkpelt's low growl from behind him. He sighed as he watched the large tom stalk over to where the she-cats stood with fierce, cold eyes.

"What is the meaning of this!?" Darkpelt thundered, looking at the foreign she-cat.

Lostheart remained as calm as ever. "A rogue we found trespassing on our territory, she had attacked Mintpaw while she was out gathering herbs."

Darkpelt's deep blue eyes flashed in anger, "Why have you brought her here!?"

By now, all the attention in the camp had now focused on the four cats standing in the clearing.

"Enough."

Darkpelt's head swiveled around to see Sunstar standing tiredly on top of the leader's den glaring down at the group. Darkpelt dipped his head respectively and stepped to the side.

"They have taken a rogue into the confines of our camp! A rogue who not only invaded our territory, but attacked Mintpaw as well!" he growled, tail lashing.

"A prisoner." Greysight meowed.

Sunstar remained silent as he observed the cats and his eyes flickered to the rogue who was avoiding the cats' gaze.

"You." he meowed. "What is your name?"

The pale she-cat remained silent and glared hatefully up at Sunstar. Greysight jabbed her roughly in the side, causing her to wince in pain.

"Answer him!"

The she-cat spat onto the ground and looked back up at Sunstar with one eye shut in pain.

"I go by many names." she growled.

Sunstar didn't appear to be swayed by her reluctant nature.

"Why have you trespassed onto my land?" he demanded.

"I was just looking for food, I didn't know there were cats who lived here."

Greysight's eyes narrowed at the rogue, she doubted the she-cat was telling the truth.

"Where do you come from? Twolegplace?"

The she-cat looked confused. "No, I came from the highrocks. I wandered down some cliffs and came upon this forest."

This seemed to catch Sunstar's attention. "The highrocks?" he looked at the stranger curiously, "You come from the tribe cats." he stated.

Greysight watched the exchange in confusion, she had no idea what they were talking about.

"Yes." the rogue replied.

Sunstar looked at the she-cat oddly with skepticism. "I can detect a trace of the tribe's scent on you, but I find it strange that you do not speak like a tribe cat."

The she-cat remained impassive to Sunstar's suspicions. "I am not a tribe cat by blood, when I was young, the tribe was kind to me and took me in."

Sunstar seemed to be buying the rogue's story, but didn't question her any further. He turned his back to the clan and began to walk off of the stone.

"We will keep her here with us. A new set of paws will be very useful."

The rogue hissed in anger and opened her mouth to protest, but she was cut off by Longtail, who up until this point was watching quietly from the sidelines.

"But Sunstar! The warrior code!"

The golden warrior whipped around, glaring at the siamese. "Says nothing about taking other cats into your clan." he hissed. "I have made my decision. Greysight, I will leave it up to you to keep her in check." he growled and leapt off the rock and into the darkness of his den.

The rogue backed away from the two she-cats. "You can't make me stay here!" she hissed. Greysight unsheathed her claws and eyed the cat dangerously.

"You don't have a choice."

The pale she-cats eyes flickered to the numerous cats around her, the blind cat was right. It would be impossible to get away with so many cats around, and frankly the large tom from earlier didn't look like the cat you wanted to mess with.

Darkpelt and Browneyes had padded up to the she-cat as well and were both observing her with different expressions. Lostheart was watching her as well.

"Sunstar has assigned Greysight to be your makeshift mentor. Normally for a cat so skilled we would allow you to bypass this, but if you want to be acknowledged as a warrior you must prove yourself to her and the rest of us."

The rogue hissed at the cats surrounding her, she didn't know why they actually believed she would help them. Her ear twitched as the strange black she-cat spoke up again.

"For now, we'll call you Moonpaw." she meowed, looking at the strange patch of darker fur on the rogue's chest that resembled a crescent moon.

The rogue's eyes widened slightly and watched as the strange she-cat walked away.

Darkpelt snorted, completely ignoring Moonpaw. "Pathetic." he growled, stalking away.

Browneyes and Greysight were left with the rogue and led her to the warriors den where she would be kept. Normally they would keep a prisoner in a separate den, but Longtail was already staying in the elder's den and Sunstar had banned anyone from entering the nursery long ago.

* * *

It was late as Greysight when stepped into the medicine cat den and looked down at Mintpaw's still body. Her eyes narrowed and her paws twitched in anger.

That worthless rogue had no business attacking a defenseless apprentice, and her sister at that! She had promised to keep her safe...

Greysight closed her eyes holding back the guilt and fear she had for her sister. She sat in silence for a moment before her sightless, grey eyes snapped open.

It was at that moment that she decided that the rogue was going to have the hardest training of her life.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**Not happy with this chapter, but what can you do amirite? New character :3 hmmmm what could her deal be. So many new questions. I want to make another game playthrough (tht was random) ive just felt like doing it. I made one before kinda boring cuz i suck but :P So if you ever play Shadow at the Water's Edge and get stuck go check that out ;P It's a good game, I recommend it to anyone who isn't afraid of very mild horror. I think I may dump my ASK thing just because I havent gotten very many results.**

**Lost Out**

**P.S My image manager never works! ever! i cant upload any pics i make on my compy and yes they are the right size and yes they are the right form, but it never works for me *RAGE***


	4. Chapter 4: Tense

Greysight stomped angrily across camp and sat down in patch of grass, glaring at the warriors den. The rogue had refused to come out.

Sunstar ordered Darkpelt to guard her until she decided to come out. Until then, she would get no fresh kill or be let out of the den.

Greysight didn't know what that cat's problem was. Did Sunstar really believe they could take a rogue into their clan? The very idea was ridiculous.

Greysight had gone to check on Mintpaw, but the young apprentice had yet to wake up. Roseclaw assured her everything was going to be alright, but Greysight doubted her words.

Her claws tightened in anger, that rogue had hurt Mintpaw.

_'She has to come out sometime.'_

* * *

Lostheart sat quietly in the shadows of the camp, relaxing after a long hunting patrol. Thinking over the recent events.

Was Sunstar really making a wise move? To her knowledge no outsiders had ever been taken into the clans before, how were they even supposed to trust a stranger? One who obviously wanted nothing to do with them.

She glanced towards the warriors den where Darkpelt sat stiffly at the entrance, making sure the rogue wouldn't try to escape.

She had never met another cat with separately colored eyes. Although Moonpaw's eyes were a normal color, Lostheart was still pretty surprised. Up until this point, she had thought she was the only one.

_'I wonder if she has any problems seeing.'_

Lostheart frowned at the warriors den. It wasn't right, to keep a cat locked up like that.

Standing up with intent, Lostheart strode across the clearing towards Darkpelt. The dark warrior's firm gaze met her own as she stood before him.

"I want to see her."

Darkpelt's eyes narrowed at Lostheart. He didn't like it when cats stepped out of their place, let alone _her._ She was supposed to be avoided, a disgusting creature, bad luck.

"No one is allowed to enter right now." His voice came out as a low growl, but Lostheart wasn't fazed.

"I am the deputy of DarkClan, I have superiority. Move aside." she meowed emotionlessly.

For a second she thought the tom would protest, but he merely dipped his head with a scowl and stepped to the side.

Lostheart didn't even glance at him as she stepped inside the warrior's den. Upon her entry, Moonpaw's head shot up from where she lay in the very back of the den and she immediately started to glare daggers at the newcomer.

Moonpaw recognized the she-cat from yesterday and swallowed back the small feeling of anxiety in the back of her throat. Lostheart's red eye glinted in the light as she approached the silver cat, mouth set into a thin impassive line.

The black she-cat padded up to her and sat a couple of tail-lengths away. Moonpaw flattened her ears and stood to face the she-cat defensively.

"What do you want?" she growled, trying to sound braver than she felt.

The she-cat didn't even blink. "I just wanted to talk."

The cold, emotionless voice sent shivers down her spine. Something about this cat screamed unapproachable, her very presence was unnerving, and Moonpaw wasn't sure why.

There was just something about her that made her fur stand on end.

* * *

Lostheart could see the way Moonpaw had tensed up upon her entry, and although she was trying to sound threatening, Lostheart could see the fear and anxiety in her eyes.

Inside, Lostheart idly felt a strange twinge of something. It was depressing that she could scare someone so easily, without even trying.

"My name is Lostheart." she greeted, "I'm the deputy of this clan."

Moonpaw said nothing and continued to glare at her.

"You should come out, you must be hungry. After all, you were out there hunting in the first place and to be honest, you look like you could use it."

It was true. From the minute she laid eyes on Moonpaw as a rogue, she could see how tired and thin the she-cat was. Her fur had become matted and covered in dust as it clung to her bones.

"Life as a rogue can't be easy, and here, we support each other. Being with the clan means you will be taken care of. Besides, where will you go?"

The rogue remained silent, her own heterochromic eyes staring at her paws. Lostheart blinked as her head suddenly snapped up.

"Look, I don't need anyone's help! I'm fine being on my own, it's nothing new to me." she growled. Lostheart's ear twitched as she heard a low grumbling sound.

Moonpaw only seemed to become angrier and soon huffed in submission, padding toward the entrance.

"I'm only doing it because I'm hungry ok. Don't think I'll ever stay here with this clan."

Lostheart said nothing and turned around, walking back towards the den entrance. She could hear Moonpaw's pawsteps following behind her.

The two she-cats stopped when Darkpelt turned to look at them. His face contorted into anger and Lostheart could see him beginning to open his mouth in protest.

She stopped him with a cold look. "She's with me. Surely you can keep an eye on her from out here."

The dark warrior shut his mouth and moved aside, letting the she-cats pass. Moonpaw watched him from the corner of her eye as she stepped by, his dark eyes never leaving her own and she felt a slight shiver.

Now that they were in the clearing, Moonpaw headed straight for their fresh kill pile.

She a grabbed a squirrel off the top and instantly sat down and began to eat, ravenously devouring it. She paused and looked to the side warily where Lostheart sat watching her.

Trying to ignore the foreboding she-cat, Moonpaw's eyes danced around the camp. It wasn't so bad, but admittedly it was kind of a dump.

From what she could see, the entire territory was slowly dying, and there wasn't much prey to go around. Her eyes narrowed when they fell on the blind cat from the other day.

She was just sitting there, across the clearing, watching her with a deadly glare. How did she even know she was here? Moonpaw snorted, she could care less if the she-cat didn't like her.

* * *

Roseclaw stepped out of the medicine cat den and sat beside Greysight. Noticing her friend giving off a deadly aura, she followed Greysight's gaze to where the rogue sat in the clearing.

Roseclaw was about to try and awkwardly broach the subject with her, but was stopped when Browneyes appeared in front of the pair.

Greysight didn't move and Roseclaw smiled kindly.

"Hello Browneyes, anything I can do for you?"

The silver tabby cleared his throat and nodded, "Yes, I was wondering if you could-"

The tom was cut off as a cough escaped from his chest and he quickly turned to the side. "Sorry," he meowed after a moment's pause turning back to Roseclaw, "I was wondering if you could give me some of that poultice from before to coat my throat. I think my cough is getting worse."

Roseclaw blinked her large blue eyes and immediately stood up, "Of course!" she meowed and hurried into the medicine cat den.

Browneyes stepped past the glaring, blind she-cat and followed Roseclaw inside. Greysight could hear as Roseclaw moved about her den, preparing the poultice for Browneyes.

"Could you make some extra as well? Longtail's cough has been bugging her as well, I don't think the stress is helping much either."

Greysight's ear twitched as she caught part of their conversation. Instantly guilt and worry rushed over her, she knew Longtail hadn't been feeling well, but she had completely forgotten about it when Mintpaw was attacked.

Not only that, but knowing her mother, Longtail was probably stressing herself out worrying over Mintpaw.

Making her decision, Greysight stood up and made her way towards the elder's den. She frowned as the sound of light coughing drifted from inside.

"Mom?' Greysight asked quietly as she poked her head into the den.

She could hear Longtail shift in surprise at her sudden appearance, but smiled when she heard Longtail's purr.

"Greysight, finally coming to visit me I see."

Greysight walked into the den and sat down with an apologetic expression.

"Sorry Mom, I was just so worried about Mintpaw..."

Her words instantly caused Longtail to deflate and the siamese looked at the ground with a heartbroken expression.

"I know." she whispered. "Roseclaw says she'll be alright..."

Longtail let out another small cough and he eyes fell, suddenly making her appear more tired. She could see Greysight's conflicting expressions, and the shaking in her paws.

"It's not your fault." Longtail meowed.

Greysight clenched her eyes shut and dug her claws into the ground.

"Yes it is. I promised myself I would never let anything happen to her. Not only that, but I've let you down too."

Her voice was shaking now and Longtail watched her sympathetically.

"What happened to her isn't your fault, things happen, Greysight. Things that neither you nor I have any control over. I have never been more proud of you, Greysight, I love you. You could never let me down."

Greysight's eyes slowly opened and she offered a small smile.

"Thanks, Mom."

Longtail smiled and watched her daughter leave the elder's den in silence. Greysight had always been such a determined kit, Longtail remembered when she would spend all day out by herself practicing her fighting moves. Saying she couldn't "fall behind the other apprentices".

The memory made Longtail smile. No, she had never been more proud of Greysight. Through all her hardships, she had managed to become a formidable warrior whose name was already spreading amongst the clans. She had done what every cat had thought impossible and accomplished her dream.

Longtail knew that she was destined for greatness.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**:] I completely forgot what I was going to write in here. Ah well. Check out my profile to vote on my new poll on the dark prophecy! Kind of a filler chapter, but necessary as always. And yes, everything is entirely planned out. Even the last book is. Heh heh, you guys are always good thinker ;P We shall see what events approach us in the future.**

**Lost Out**

**P.S As always, I accept art requests. Just throwing that out there. As well as any questions you may have! :) Reviews are loved.**


	5. Chapter 5: Gone

Greysight left the elder's den feeling much better than she had been previously. With newfound determination, she headed to the center of camp where Lostheart was watching the rogue.

Both she-cats looked up upon her approach, and she could immediately feel Moonpaw's glare burning into her pelt. They watched Greysight expectantly as she stopped in front of them.

"We're going training." she meowed.

The pale cat growled, but stood up nonetheless. "Don't order me around!" she hissed.

Greysight smirked at the she-cat in front of her, it was clear she could have quite the temper.

"Seeing as I've been put in charge of you, I can order you around all I want."

The rogue's ears lay flat against her head and she took a threatening step towards Greysight. She stopped when Lostheart had suddenly stood up and was now watching her closely. Glancing over to Lostheart, Moonpaw stepped back in submission.

"Fine." she spat.

Greysight didn't acknowledge Moonpaw's agreement and instead turned to Lostheart. "You should come with us, just in case she tries anything."

Moonpaw's eyes narrowed at Greysight's words, but she hung back and watched the two black cats in front of her.

Lostheart nodded and muttered a quiet "sure" before walking off towards the tree tunnel. Greysight turned back to Moonpaw who was still standing behind them.

"Come on," she growled, "We don't have all day."

Moonpaw hissed at Greysight and stepped past her, following Lostheart through the tree tunnel while Greysight took up the rear.

Greysight watched Moonpaw's back with narrowed eyes. _'If she's a "tribe cat" like Sunstar says, then what was she doing out here?'_

"We should probably give you an overview of the territory first." Lostheart meowed blandly from the front of the group, looking back over her shoulder. "What do you think, Greysight?"

Lostheart's words snapped Greysight from her thoughts and she nodded, "Good idea."

Moonpaw was quiet as they walked through the dark forest towards the Dead Oak, Greysight wondered what she could be thinking about. She had never met an actual rogue before, and naturally she was curious about many things.

Unfortunately for her, this rogue wasn't exactly the friendly type and she doubted the she-cat would answer any of her questions.

The three cats eventually came to the clearing where the Dead Oak sat proudly in the center, or at least as proudly as an old, dead tree could.

Lostheart stopped at the base of the oak and looked up into its bare, twisted branches.

"This is the Dead Oak, it marks the very center of our territory. It's easy to find your way around from this point."

Moonpaw looked up to the tree with obvious disinterest, four crows were currently sitting in the branches. Noticing the cats, two of the birds cawed loudly and flew away while the others simply cocked their heads and watched the cats with beady black eyes.

Moonpaw scoffed at the birds and frowned as she followed the cats back into the shade of the trees.

* * *

It was around sundown when Lostheart and Greysight had finished showing Moonpaw around their territory. They had taken her through the forest and shown her important landmarks like the Dead Oak, Blue Hole, and swamp.

They were careful to explain the borders and warned the she-cat to avoid twolegplace. The entire time, Moonpaw appeared to be bored and often didn't appear to be listening.

Greysight had become increasingly irritated throughout the day. The three cats had finally made it to the training hollow where Lostheart sat calmly in the sand.

"This." Greysight began, "Is the training hollow. Hopefully you can work out what it's for."

Moonpaw glared at Greysight, "I don't know if you noticed, but you're definitely the smallest and most insignificant one here, so you can stop trying to sound all high and mighty."

Her heterochromic eyes flashed. "Then again, I guess you wouldn't notice."

Greysight's fur immediately began to bristle and she unsheathed her claws in anger. "What did you say?" she growled.

Lostheart, sensing the atmosphere, stepped between the two cats.

"While you're here, you should make sure to familiarize yourself with the warrior code. The laws which we live by."

As Lostheart relayed the code to Moonpaw, the cat sat in boredom, idly watching the trees.

Greysight's anger bubbled up inside her. If that cat said one more thing, Greysight swore she would shred Moonpaw and use her fur for kit bedding.

_'This cat is insufferable!'_

Once Lostheart was done she looked to Moonpaw expectantly. The pale she-cat blinked when she noticed her gaze.

"Yeah, yeah. I get it." she meowed blandly.

Greysight had somehow managed to calm herself down and stood up to face Moonpaw.

"Alright, now that you've seen the territory and know the way things work around here, let's see what you can do."

Moonpaw's eyes flashed at the challenge and she eyed Greysight angrily. "You think you can take me, shorty?"

Greysight smirked, "I know I can."

Greysight knew this rogue's fighting abilities were more than just average. It was obvious she had been through training before, but Greysight had no doubt the she-cat wouldn't be able to keep up with her.

Lostheart had stepped back and was now observing the two she-cats from the side of the clearing. It was important to find out just how skilled this rogue really was. While fighting her alongside Greysight, it was clear to Lostheart that she knew how to fight.

The taller she-cat crouched down into a fighting position and watched Greysight carefully. She knew now that this cat wasn't to be underestimated, despite her blindness.

She tensed as she felt Greysight leap at her, her eyes widened as Greysight suddenly appeared in front of her, she was fast!

_'This will teach you to belittle me!'_ Greysight thought dangerously as she rammed into Moonpaw and made an attempt to hold her down.

Moonpaw, however, was much larger than her and was able to push her off. Despite Greysight's size, Moonpaw knew she was stronger than she looked.

* * *

Lostheart watched the match quietly. It was clear to her that Greysight would win. Despite Moonpaw's strength and abilities, Greysight had the advantage.

Finally, Greysight backed off and left the panting she cat alone as they stood in the clearing. Moonpaw glared hatefully at Greysight, but she knew she had been beaten.

Lostheart stood up once she realized the two were finished. Moonpaw was just as good as any other warrior. Lostheart's eyes observed the she-cat thoughtfully.

Moonpaw fought differently from any other cat she had seen, her style was definitely very unique.

The she-cat was still breathing heavily and staring at the ground. Greysight had turned away from Moonpaw, letting her rest.

Lostheart watched as Moonpaw looked up and was surprised by how dull her eyes had become, but just as Lostheart noticed it, the look was gone and once more replaced by her fierce, hateful eyes.

"That's enough for today. You're good, but still not good enough to beat me." Greysight meowed.

Moonpaw scoffed and rose to her paws. "You got lucky."

Greysight smirked and gestured for Lostheart and Moonpaw to follow her back to camp. It was silent as they made their way through the woods, Greysight leading them back this time.

Lostheart watched Moonpaw in front of her curiously. There were so many questions surrounding the she-cat.

Greysight began to grow bored with the silence and made an attempt to start a conversation.

"When I get back to camp, I'll probably check on my mother, Longtail. You might have seen her, she's the siamese. I think she's developing a bad cough."

Moonpaw made a noncommittal grunt, showing she had heard. "Why should I care?"

Greysight tried to ignore Moonpaw's snappy attitude. "She's my family. Surely even you know what that is?"

Greysight blinked as sudden realization dawned on her. "You were all by yourself." she meowed. "Where are your parents anyways?"

The three cats padded into camp, Moonpaw's face suddenly becoming an emotionless mask.

"Gone." she meowed and padded away to the warriors den. Or as she liked to think of it, her prison.

Greysight frowned and watched the she-cat as her pawsteps slowly became more distant. Her ears perked up again when she felt someone rushing at her incredibly fast.

Recognizing Roseclaw, Greysight's paws twitched anxiously. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"It's Mintpaw," Roseclaw breathed, "She's woken up."

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**Random facts about wutever time. If you want to order them by age, it goes: Lostheart-Roseclaw-Moonpaw-Greysight. Oldest to Youngest.**

**As for length, I can't say anything for CERTAIN right now but yes, it will be long. Probably as long as the last one.**

**As for putting the allegiances on my tumblr, I think that is a GREAT idea. I will probably draw up a headshot for each character and post those soon. I'll only do important ones from the other clans though. The allegiances will be for this book specifically and wont include the deceased.**

**Lost Out**

**P.S What are your thoughts on this new character? Don't forget to vote on the poll on my profile page either!**


	6. Chapter 6: What Really Happened

"Mintpaw?"

"Greysight!" a weak voice meowed excitedly from the back of the medicine cat den. Greysight smiled in relief and padded to the nest in the back reserved for patients.

Mintpaw had immediately brightened up at the sight of her big sister. Greysight was able to let out a small breath, she appeared to be alright.

"Hey, how you doing? You feel ok?" Greysight asked in concern.

Mintpaw shook her head, bright eyes shining. "I feel fine. My head hurts a little bit, but I'm okay!"

Greysight nodded and sat beside Mintpaw's nest, her body becoming suddenly tense. Mintpaw blinked in surprise as Greysight dug her claws into the ground.

"What did she do to you?" Greysight growled.

"What?"

Greysight stomped her paw onto the ground, "The rogue!"

Mintpaw's eyes fell and she looked down at her brown paws. "Oh, that..."

Greysight immediately relaxed, fearing she had hurt Mintpaw in some way. "It's ok. I made sure she didn't hurt you, we're keeping her prisoner in camp now."

Mintpaw nodded silently. "Roseclaw told me." she mewed in a quiet voice.

Greysight scoffed. "I don't know what Sunstar is thinking. How could he allow someone who hurt you into our camp?!" Greysight hissed.

Mintpaw's eyes widened and she immediately looked up in surprise. "What?"

"I know! She's not safe-"

"No, before that."

Greysight listened curiously, "What are you talking about?"

Mintpaw stood up and shook her head.

"She never attacked me!"

Greysight's eyes widened in surprise and she opened her mouth to question her sister, but the young apprentice continued on.

"I was looking for my herbs and I ran into her." Mintpaw shuffled her paws and looked down in shame.

" I was so scared I passed out..."

Greysight blinked and stood quietly in the medicine cat den. Now that she thought about it, Mintpaw didn't have any injuries and Moonpaw had seemed surprised when they showed up. She knew Mintpaw wouldn't lie to her. Had they wrongfully attacked and imprisoned Moonpaw?

The very thought left Greysight feeling oddly guilty. She forced a fake smile and faced Mintpaw.

"You should rest, I'll come and see you later, ok?"

Mintpaw let out a small nod. "Ok.." she mewed.

Greysight left the den with a small feeling nagging at her chest, she needed to talk to Moonpaw. One she was in the clearing she let the surrounding scents envelop her and followed Moonpaw's scent to where the she-cat was lying in the clearing a few tail-lengths feet away from Darkpelt. Greysight figured he was keeping watch on her.

She could feel Moonpaw turn towards her at her approach, Greysight was sure that if she could see she would've seen Moonpaw harsh eyes glaring at her.

"What do you want?" the she-cat growled rudely.

Yep, definitely glaring.

"I want to talk to you."

Moonpaw sniffed disdainfully and turned away from Greysight.

"I have nothing to say to you."'

Greysight sighed in irritation, "Yeah, well I do."

Moonpaw's eyes narrowed at the blind she-cat, but she remained quiet nonetheless.

Greysight took a small breath and lashed her tail. "Mintpaw, my little sister, the cat you attacked, she told me something and I need to hear it from you."

Moonpaw's tail twitched in irritation, "What?" she snapped.

"She told me you never attacked her."

Greysight listened to Moonpaw closely as her words left her mouth. The she-cat appeared to be taken aback for a few seconds, but quickly regained her senses and narrowed her eyes.

"So what if I didn't? You were the ones who had to come and stick your noses into my business!"

Greysight couldn't believe it, they had wrongfully imprisoned her...she had been wrong. The thought left a bitter taste in her mouth.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Greysight asked quietly. "Did you _want _us to think you attacked her?"

"Like you would have believed me! I'm just a filthy rogue remember, what I do and why I do it is none of your business."

Greysight remained quiet as she listened to Moonpaw's biting reply. She was hiding something and Greysight knew it.

"What are you doing here?" Greysight asked suddenly voice full of quiet curiosity.

She was surprised when Moonpaw leapt to her paws, ears back and voice full of venom.

"Leave. Me. Alone!" she hissed and stalked away.

Greysight didn't even blink at the she-cat's threat and calmly listened as she stomped away. Moonpaw was a very touchy cat, certain subjects seemed to set her off, only increasing Greysight's curiosity.

Still, they had wrongfully imprisoned her.

_'I need to talk to Lostheart.'_

After searching around camp for a while, Greysight figured Lostheart had gone out. None of the other cats had been particularly helpful either.

It wasn't a problem though, Greysight knew it wouldn't be hard for her to find the quiet she-cat. Her abilities made her an expert at tracking and hunting.

Lostheart's scent was faint, but Greysight was able to follow it through the forest and into the fields. Lostheart was probably out hunting.

She soon caught a slight tremor in the earth, the approach of distant pawsteps. Judging by the pace and weight of the cat, Greysight could tell she had finally found the deputy.

She ran, following the vibrations and skidded to a halt in front of her target.

Lostheart was mildly surprised to Greysight, but revealed nothing in her composure. Greysight had obviously been looking for her.

"Why were you looking for me?" she asked.

Greysight's face suddenly became serious.

"I went to check on Mintpaw, and I learned some disturbing news. She told me Moonpaw never attacked her." Greysight meowed, voice laced with concern.

"I know."

Greysight blinked at the reply, had she heard right?

Lostheart was unperturbed by Greysight's surprise and continued on. "It was clear to me when we found her. The look of surprise on her face and the fact that Mintpaw lay unharmed only supported my theory and now it appears to be the truth after all."

Greysight berated herself for forgetting how observant Lostheart was, of course she would know.

"But is it really right to keep her here?" Greysight questioned.

The tall golden stems of the grasses around them swayed lightly in the wind creating an almost peaceful environment.

"She may not have attacked Mintpaw, but she still trespassed onto our territory intent on stealing prey."

Greysight nodded, she supposed Lostheart was right. After a few moments she suddenly realized Lostheart didn't have any prey.

"What are you doing out here anyway?" Greysight asked curiously.

"Nothing." Lostheart replied.

Greysight shrugged, accepting the answer. "We should get back to camp."

* * *

Moonpaw was lying alone in the warriors den, content in being away from the DarkClan cats, although she knew Darkpelt was prowling around the den somewhere.

She looked down at her silver paws and frowned. They didn't understand.

Admittedly, it wasn't so bad here. The dens were warm and they didn't mind sharing their food with her. Some of the cats were pretty hostile to her, but a few didn't seem to mind.

Moonpaw blinked, realizing what she had just thought and shook her head.

_'I can't stay here.'_

Sighing in irritation, Moonpaw stood up and stretched her long legs. At least while she was here she was able to clean herself up. Her once dull and matted fur was now looking as clean and healthy as ever.

She padded out of the den keeping her head down, her ear twitched and she turned towards the camp entrance to see Lostheart and Greysight returning.

Her eyes naturally drifted to the gleam of red from the deputy's eye. She had never seen a cat like her before, someone like her. Moonpaw was wary of her, she was a very mysterious cat, keeping mostly to herself.

Her eyes naturally narrowed as she looked at the blind cat beside her. Greysight seemed to resent her very being, it was obvious she didn't like her.

Her eyes danced around the camp taking in all the dens and cats surrounding them. It was odd, how they took her in so easily.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

***Brick'd by all my readers* I'm sorry it's so late, but I told you these would get that way :( As for the allegiances im still not done :x ugh. I feel like a failure. Look out for the next chappy tho, I'll try to upload it soon.**


	7. Chapter 7: Moon

It was the middle of the night, but oddly enough, Lostheart was woken from her sleep. She stretched her legs for a moment and carefully stood up. The other warriors were all asleep she noted, but her eyes stopped as they landed on Moonpaw's nest. Empty. Her scent was still strong though.

Lostheart weaved her way around the sleeping figures of her clanmates and stepped out into the camp, what she saw made her blink in surprise.

Moonpaw sat in the center of the camp with her back towards Lostheart. Her head was tilted up and she appeared to be watching the moon. It's glow illuminated her pale fur making her appear ghostly in the darkness of the night. Lostheart had never seen the she-cat so calm before.

Lostheart padded forward, not caring to try and sneak up on the she-cat. At the sound of pawsteps, Moonpaw's ear twitched and she turned in surprise. Her eyes widened at the sight of Lostheart and she opened her mouth as if to say something, but quickly snapped it back up.

Lostheart said nothing and padded up beside her, taking a moment to glance up at the moon as well.

"I didn't expect to find you out here." Lostheart meowed calmly.

Moonpaw was silent for a moment before shrugging offhandedly.

"I like watching the moon."

She spoke her words calmly, but Lostheart could detect a hint of sadness in her eyes.

"I know you didn't attack Mintpaw, and I want to know the _real _reason you were on our territory. You said you had a home with the tribe, why would you leave?"

Moonpaw didn't respond for a long moment, her eyes suddenly appeared more tired than they had before. She watched Lostheart carefully. Why did she care? Moonpaw normally didn't like to talk to cats, but something about Lostheart made her trust the she-cat.

Moonpaw sighed.

"...I've been searching, for a long time..."

Lostheart listened curiously, surprised that Moonpaw was deciding to open up to her.

"...for my father."

Her final words were said with great difficulty and her eyes developed a dull sheen.

"The moon reminds me of them, my parents."

_'Her parents...' _Lostheart mused.

Moonpaw eyes slowly slid back up to the moon and she smiled sadly.

"I don't have too many memories of them, and most are hazy...when I was a very young kit, my mother was killed by a badger, she was trying to protect me..."

"My father saved me, but he had to send me away..."

Lostheart could see Moonpaw's face was lined with confusion and sadness.

"Eventually the tribe cats found me and took me in, but I couldn't forget about my father. I finally decided I would go find him...so I left. I've been searching ever since. I remember the picture of a long grassy plain, that's what led me here. I saw the fields from the top of the cliffs and climbed down..."

Moonpaw sighed, closing her eyes. "I keep telling myself that he's out there somewhere, waiting for me..."

Lostheart could tell Moonpaw had suffered a lot of pain in her life, it was evident by the shields she always surrounded herself with.

"My mom died too...when I was young.." Lostheart meowed quietly.

Moonpaw blinked at looked at Lostheart in surprise. Lostheart had never spoken to anybody about her mother before, it was something she didn't like to think or talk about. The words were difficult for her to say and even as she said them, she could feel a great pain inside her.

"She protected me from a fox."

The two cats sat in silence, watching the moon and enjoying the cool night air.

"It's all I've focused on my entire life." Moonpaw meowed.

Lostheart was silent and closed her strange eyes.

"You are free to go."

Moonpaw's eyes widened in surprise. "What?"

Lostheart stood back up. "We would appreciate your help, but I won't force you to stay. If you escape now, the others will think you escaped while everyone was asleep. I'm glad we got to meet."

Moonpaw watched as the dark she-cat padded silently away, returning to the confines of the warriors den.

Despite her appearance and cold voice, Lostheart wasn't who she appeared to be, she was different. Moonpaw immediately felt bad for judging the she-cat when she first met her.

Lostheart said she could go...Moonpaw sat rooted to her spot in the clearing, eyes focused on the moon.

_'...Maybe it's time...to move on.'_

* * *

Lostheart's eyes slowly slid open, adjusting to the sudden light pouring into the warriors den. She yawned and stretched her legs before standing up and lightly shaking her fur. Her eyes instinctively glanced to Moonpaw's nest.

Empty.

So she had gone after all. Lostheart strode into the clearing eyes having to squint at the light. It was unusually bright today, despite the gray skies.

Her ear twitched at the sound of arguing, and she looked across the clearing.

Greysight and Moonpaw appeared to be arguing over the last piece of fresh kill, both cats glaring venomously at each other. Lostheart smiled inwardly as she laid eyes on Moonpaw.

_'You decided to stay after all.'_

Greysight perked up and immediately Lostheart fell Greysight calling over to her.

"Lostheart! You're the deputy, tell Moonpaw here that I get the last piece of prey because I am her superior."

Moonpaw's tail lashed from side-to-side. "That's a load of foxdung! I saw it first!"

Both she-cats turned to Lostheart expectantly. Inwardly, the black she-cat sighed. She really hated making decisions.

"Mintpaw needs to eat, she hasn't eaten anything yet! You're an inconsiderate rogue!"

Lostheart could see Moonpaw's eyes flash in anger. "You never said it was for Mintpaw! If I knew that then _maybe _I would've let you have it, did you ever think of that?"

Sniffing disdainfully, Moonpaw padded away leaving the squirrel with Greysight.

"I'm going hunting!" she called.

Greysight hissed at the pale she-cat's retreating form before grabbing the squirrel and padding off to the medicine cat den.

From across the clearing Darkpelt and Browneyes watched the exchange with opposite expressions. Browneyes smiled, "Well, they certainly seem to be getting along well enough."

Darkpelt gave his brother a look that clearly said 'you're an idiot' and stalked away for his daily patrol leaving Browneyes to roll his eyes.

_'She-cats.'_ he growled.

* * *

Greysight walked into the medicine cat den and gently set the squirrel down. Roseclaw padded out from the back, grinning at her friend.

"Oh Greysight, you shouldn't have." Roseclaw meowed, eyeing the squirrel.

"I didn't." Greysight replied. "This is for Mintpaw."

Roseclaw's eyes narrowed, "FINE. Let me starve!" she meowed dramatically.

Greysight rolled her eyes and focused on Mintpaw as the young she-cat approached them. "Thanks Greysight! I was really hungry." Mintpaw meowed, practically beaming up at Greysight as she picked up the squirrel and padded out of the den.

"I'm gonna go eat this with Mom, I have to give this medicine to her anyways, I'll see you later!" Mintpaw called as she raced out of the den.

Roseclaw watched her apprentice go and shook her head in amusement.

"So how is she?"

"She's fine, as you can see, she's full of energy." Roseclaw meowed.

Greysight smirked, "Remind you of anyone?"

"You mean you? Yeah."

Greysight rolled her eyes and jabbed Roseclaw lightly in the shoulder.

"Tonight's the Gathering, where we get to introduce Moonpaw to the other clans. Do you think they'll question us about her?"

Roseclaw shrugged, "Who knows. I'm sure Sunstar will be able to handle it either way."

Greysight gave Roseclaw a doubtful look to which the white she-cat only shrugged.

* * *

Moonpaw padded into the clearing and set down the rabbit she caught onto the nonexistent fresh kill pile, she looked up when she noticed Lostheart padding over to her.

She wondered if the black she-cat would say anything about last night, but was surprised when Lostheart didn't show any sign of ever speaking to her.

"You already know about the four clans here and the code, but tonight during the full moon we all meet at a Gathering. There, we will introduce you to the other clans, and I can now tell you that you've earned your warrior name."

Moonpaw watched Lostheart in disbelief, "Really?"

Lostheart nodded, "You have already been well trained by the tribe and are greatly suited for warrior life. That and we have decided that we can trust you. I hope you will honor that decision."

Moonpaw blinked and nodded, "Does this mean I get a new name?"

"Yes. Your new name will be Moonfur. Normally we have a ceremony, but Sunstar isn't as...dedicated as he used to be. Many of our rituals have been skipped over. After the Gathering you can guard the camp and sit vigil."

Moonfur nodded, "What do I do at the Gathering?"

"Nothing. Just talk to the other cats if you want and wait for the leader's announcements. Although I warn you, you can't reveal anything about the inner workings of our clan to the other cats, we are already in a tight spot with TreeClan."

"I know." Moonfur meowed. "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**Ok as for the allegiances i can upload them, but there wont be any pics because my computer is being dumb. My photoshop hasn't been working recently either, so if I do get the pic uploader to work some of them will be old. But for now i'll upload the words.**

**Lost Out**


	8. Chapter 8: A New Life

Moonfur followed through the shade of the trees as the DarkClan cats began their journey to Fourtrees. She had been told that the Gathering would have several different cats and their clans attending, she wondered what it would be like.

The Tribe had never done anything like this, there were no other cats around. Moonfur absentmindedly wondered if they knew about the clan cats. They had told her she had come from the side of the mountain, ever since the day she left all she did was search there.

There were only a few memories of her parents that had stuck with her. Her mother's death, her father taking her away, and her parents standing over her. Although she could no longer see their faces clearly, it made her happy to have the memories.

Moonfur's eyes landed on Lostheart walking beside her, she wondered if the she-cat had always been so distant. Her eyes landed on the scar over her eye and she couldn't help but wonder how Lostheart attained it.

Moonfur had been honest to Lostheart, but she hadn't told her everything. Specifically the day her father tried to send her off with an old she-cat. She didn't want to accept it, but a part of her knew that it had actually been her choice.

* * *

"Come on let's go."

From the corner of the nursery a young she-cat quietly stepped out into the light, it's shining rays reflecting off her pale coat.

She smiled up at the mottled tom standing in front of her. He stood with an old gray she-cat that the kit had come to recognize. For the past moon her father had taken her to see this she-cat, but not once had they ever gone anywhere.

The dark tom's amber eyes briefly swept over the kit before turning and walking away with the gray cat by his side.

The kit's face fell and she stumbled forward after her father. Letting out a light skip as she caught up to him, her strange eyes turned to the tom. A light shadow of worry evident in their midst.

"Where are we going?" she questioned with a small mewl.

The stripes on the tom's pelt moved along with his lithe form as he continued onward paying no attention to the kit's question.

The gray she-cat's head suddenly turned her head towards the tom, anger stretched across her face.

"You mean you haven't told her yet?!" the she-cat snapped.

"That is very upsetting to hear, Mudclaw. Tell me, did you even say goodbye to her?"

Her tail lashed viciously and she watched the dark tom with clear disappointment. Meanwhile, the pale kit's head turned back and forth between the two cats in confusion.

His amber eyes shimmered dangerously. "No." he replied.

"I thought I would do that here."

The old she-cat scoffed and flicked her bushy tail. "That's no excuse, I know you're happy to get rid of her. Dumping her on me like this..." the she-cat scowled

"It's not like that and you know it." Mudclaw growled. "I have to do this, she will be safer away from here, never knowing a warrior's life. There are too many threats, not to mention the twoleg monsters are destroying our territory. Many of our cats are getting poisoned by the rabbits, there is nothing to eat, and many have already perished. It's too dangerous. I am deputy, I don't have the time to care for her. Besides, no one can ever know...And you've already agreed, Shiver."

Shiver's eyes narrowed and she looked at the tabby before her in disgust. "What kind of a father are you? Never spending time with her, that Mudclaw, is sad in my opinion. Really, it is not the time you don't have, it is the love."

The tom watched her with a cold, impassive gaze meeting her eyes angrily.

"You agreed." he growled.

Shiver turned her nose upward and avoided looking at the filthy tom. "I'm only doing it for Song."

The kit stood between the two with wide, shining eyes feeling dumbfounded and hurt about what Shiver said about her father not loving her.

Because at one time...she had thought the same thing, and now it was coming true.

After silently glaring at each other for a few more minutes, Mudclaw snorted and continued on past Shiver. With a growl, the elderly she-cat trailed after him, while the pale kit followed slowly behind, crestfallen. Neither of the two cats noticed her as she trailed behind.

Her paws dragged across the hard earth as she followed the two cats, they had been arguing for a while now, but she hardly cared to listen.

Quietly the kit slowed to a halt and watched as the cats continued on, unaware of her stop.

'_I'm not going to stay with Shiver.'_

Glancing up one more time, she checked to see if they had noticed her. The two cats, however, continued on, bickering amongst themselves.

It was at that point the kit decided she would stand her ground.

_'I'm six moons old.'_ She told herself watching the cats in front of her, their arguing was making her sick.

_'I'm not going back to clan life, and I am not going with Shiver.'_

The kit hated that cat and refused to put up with her for the rest of her life, and she didn't want to be a burden to her father. Her heart ached with pain at her father's dislike of her.

_'I wasn't made to be a kit for the rest of my life, so I'm going away from them...forever.'_

Silently the kit took a few steps back and quietly padded away, she didn't look back.

* * *

"We're here."

Moonfur blinked at the sound of Greysight's voice and looked at the large clearing in front of them. Through the trees she could see a large rock at the back, the forms of many cats already lay around the clearing.

"It looks like we're not the last ones for a change."

Moonfur paid little attention to Greysight and followed her new clan in with silent awe. As their group entered, many cats turned their attention to the newcomers. Moonfur hoped she didn't stick out, she walked in the center of the group in an effort to blend in.

She wasn't sure if it was really ok for her to be here.

Sunstar stopped their group after they were a good bit into the clearing and turned towards his own cats, giving a slight nod.

At his signal the DarkClan cats began to disperse and Sunstar padded away towards the large boulder.

Moonfur briefly panicked when everyone began to walk away, where was she supposed to go? What was she supposed to do?

The pale cat was able to relax when Lostheart came padding up to her, followed by Browneyes.

"Well, this is the Gathering." Lostheart meowed blandly. "While we wait for LightClan to arrive you can talk to cats from other clans or just wait if you like. But if you do interact with the others, remember you can't talk about anything having to do with our clan's business."

Moonfur nodded and let her eyes travel around the wide clearing. She hadn't seen so many cats in one place since she lived in the tribe. They had never done anything like this though, there were no other cats around.

The four large oaks gave the clearing it's shape while a large stone between two of them created a sort of backing for the area.

Browneyes smiled supportively at Moonfur. "If you're uncomfortable, you guys can always just stay with Darkpelt and I."

Lostheart had already begun to pad away, assuming her conversation with Moonfur had ended. The pale she-cat glanced past Browneyes to where the dark warrior was watching her with hateful eyes.

"No, that's ok. Thanks Browneyes." she replied.

"I think I'll do things on my own." with her final words she began to walk off into the crowd, taking in the different scents and figures.

Some cats looked at her oddly, having never seen this unfamiliar cat. She had DarkClan's scent, so no cat really questioned her, but she noticed the strange looks.

Moonfur suddenly stumbled backwards as she felt herself collide with another cat. "I'm so sorry!" she meowed quickly, embarrassed that she hadn't been paying attention.

The she-cat she had run into blinked and eyed Moonfur oddly, she had never seen this cat before.

Moonfur was surprised to see the cat she had run into, it was a beautiful she-cat with a strange pelt pattern she had never seen before, the cat was looking at her strangely.

"I don't think I've ever met you before." the she-cat meowed.

Moonfur shrugged, trying to come up with a quick reply in her head. Should she tell her the truth?

"Er...well, this is actually my first Gathering so..."

The she-cat appeared to accept her answer, "Well then, I hope you enjoy it. I'm sure you already know who I am, but I shall introduce myself formally."

The she-cat suddenly stood up proudly. "My name is Hawkmask," she meowed, "Deputy of OceanClan."

Moonfur, not knowing what to say, just nodded. "It's an honor?" she meowed, but it was more of a question than a statement.

Luckily Hawkmask didn't appear to pick up on it. The lithe she-cat's ear suddenly twitched and she looked over the crowd of cats.

"It appears LightClan has arrived."

Hawkmask lowered her gaze and turned to Moonfur, a suspicious look in her eyes.

"It was a pleasure to meet you Moonfur, but I must go and take my place now."

Moonfur nodded and watched as the cat turned from her and began to pad towards the rock. She noticed two other cats arrive at the bottom of the stone as well.

She assumed that was where the deputies stood, seeing as the leaders were sitting on top of the rock. However, she didn't see Lostheart there, or even Darkpelt. Moonfur looked around the clearing and caught sight of the black she-cat sitting in the very back of the clearing by one of the oak trees.

Her thoughts were broken when a yowl erupted from the Great Rock. All cats turned to face their leaders as the Gathering began.

The leaders all looked very different. The smallest of the cats was definitely the one who had announced the start of the meeting, Moonfur also noticed she was the only she-cat up there. There were two other cats she didn't recognize standing up there.

One was a brown tom with several dark, wavy markings. The pelt instantly reminded her of the cat from earlier.

_'He must be the leader of OceanClan.'_

That only left one more cat, and for some reason Moonfur doubted he was the leader of LightClan. She had never seen such a huge cat in her entire life, his long, wild fur made him appear even larger.

The tom looked down on the clearing with shining, yellow eyes. Filled with clear superiority and dominance.

_'Is this the cat threatening DarkClan?'_

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**I have started school, thats why I haven't updated in a while. BUT I am making a new rule where I will upload weekly. You can expect them on the weekends because that is probably when I'll have the time to actually do it. If it's a good week there mmay be two chaps. So sorry for the delay, I've just been uber busy. Any questions leave em' in reviews. :) OK I cannot get the allegiance with pics to work, so I'm just gonna go upload the boring words. I MAY actually post a separate story about Moonfur! so tell me what you think of that. **

**Lost Out**

**P.S Do you remember me saying that this actually does tie in to Warriors a little bit ;) Well I did, if you paid attention very closely you may have caught some stuff in Shadows of the Heart too.**


	9. Chapter 9: Memory of a Memory

Sunstar was the first cat to rise, walking past Willowstar and towards the front of the rock. Not even sparing his brother a glance.

Moonfur took in their leader's ragged form and frowned lightly. Since her arrival to the clan this was the second time she had ever seen the tom.

His eyes were dark and cold, his pelt had become quite mottled and he appeared thinner than before. His eyes swept over the crowd, and for a brief second, connected with her own.

"DarkClan is well. There has been no trace of any foxes, I believe it is safe to assume that they are gone for now."

Sunstar's words caused a couple cats in the clearing to let out breaths of relief. Moonfur didn't really understand what he was talking about, but she knew foxes could be problematic.

"We also have a new warrior in our midst." he continued.

Moonfur could feel her pelt heat up at his words and waited tensely as he looked down at her. His eyes revealed nothing, and she vaguely wondered what he would say.

"Moonfur is now a warrior of DarkClan."

A few cats turned to look at her, but Moonfur found herself more focused on Sunstar. He hadn't said anything about her being a rogue. Glancing around the clearing nervously, Moonfur noted that a lot of the cats didn't seem suspicious at all. A few cats even meowed their congratulations.

However, a few cats did eye her oddly. They probably were wondering why they had never seen her around before.

_'If Sunstar doesn't want the other cats to know, then I guess I won't say anything.' _

Moonfur didn't want to get in trouble with the DarkClan leader and chose to remain quiet. Her eyes drifted across the other three leaders and focused on the she-cat.

Morningstar padded up lightly to the front and smiled with her usual friendly air.

"LightClan is doing well." she meowed shakily.

Moonfur watched the LightClan leader carefully, she looked awfully tense.

"We have four new kits in our clan. With the approach of leaf-bare, many of the flowers have begun to wilt, but we are prepared for the changing of seasons."

Morningstar's smile didn't quite reach her eyes, Moonfur noted. Now that she thought about it, none of the leaders seemed to be very relaxed.

Brisingstar stood stiffly in his spot. "Two of our apprentices have also achieved the rank of warrior, and we have a new medicine cat in training. I'm glad to hear that everyone is doing well." His deep blue eyes drifted over to Willowstar.

"And what of TreeClan? Not having any trouble I hope." he meowed briskly.

Moonfur thought she could detect a hint of something dark in the OceanClan's leader's voice, but she wasn't certain. She had never seen these cats before in her life.

Willowstar didn't appear to be affected by the question at all and swished his bushy tail to the side effortlessly.

"Leaf-bare can be a difficult time, but not for TreeClan. Four of our cats have become apprentices since the last Gathering and two more kits have joined our ranks. More cats should take after our example." the TreeClan leader meowed eerily.

Brisingstar's eyes narrowed slightly at Willowstar, but the brown tom said nothing and called an end to the meeting.

Moonfur watched as the OceanClan leapt down from the Great Rock and whispered something to his deputy before the two parted and began to gather their clan. Everyone appeared to be meeting up with their clanmates now.

Moonfur's multi-colored eyes swept through the cats, searching for any of her clanmates.

"I didn't know DarkClan had any more apprentices."

Moonfur's ear twitched and she turned to face a tabby tom watching her closely.

"This is my first Gathering." she replied to the cat impassively.

The tom looked at her oddly. "What's wrong with your eye?" he meowed in disgust.

Moonfur blinked, then realized what he was talking about. Honestly she forgot about it sometimes, besides, the tribe had never said anything.

"I was born with it." she replied shrugging casually.

The tabby snorted. "How interesting. You DarkClan cats are all the same."

Moonfur could detect animosity in his voice and smell the scent of TreeClan. No wonder he was being so hostile.

"Who are you?" she meowed curiously, wanting to take note of the tom's name for future reference.

The tabby scoffed, "Pineneedle."

Moonfur just blinked at the tom.

"Son of Willowstar. Honestly, don't they teach you anything in that clan?"

Moonfur narrowed her eyes at Pineneedle, irritated by his arrogant air. She could tell he was someone used to getting his way.

"Of course, but only the important things. Now if you'll excuse me, I must return to my clan." she meowed giving him a mocking smile.

Moonfur didn't wait to see the expression on his face and turned away, smiling smugly to herself.

_'What a self-righteous brat.'_

* * *

"What's the deal with TreeClan anyways?"

Five sets of eyes turned to look curiously at the pale she-cat as the cats returned to camp. Sunstar had already managed to slink off somewhere and Mintpaw had gone off to bed. Darkpelt had begun to walk away as well, but Browneyes had managed to catch him.

The six remaining cats lay in a small group in the center of camp. Moonfur felt the heat rising to her cheeks as the cats looked at her oddly.

"What? It's not like I care. Some little punk was giving me some trouble." she meowed, scoffing.

Greysight's ears twitched curiously, instantly perking her up.

"What cat?"

Normally Greysight wouldn't bother trying to get along with the newcomer, but she was curious about this cat who had decided to approach her pale clanmate.

Browneyes was listening curiously with bright eyes while Darkpelt sat by his side looking incredibly irritated. Even Lostheart was sitting silently in the shadows near the group, quietly listening in.

"Some cat named Pineneedle." Moonfur shrugged.

Greysight let out a small laugh. "Figures." she meowed. That cat never failed to try and antagonize the DarkClan cats that was for sure.

Browneyes rolled his eyes, "That tom thinks he's hot stuff just because his father's the leader. He believes he was born with some divine natural talent or something."

Lostheart's eyes flashed in the darkness, memories of the dark tabby filling her mind.

_"What's wrong? Do you miss your mommy?"_

_"It's a shame I missed it. I would have enjoyed watching her die."_

A small flicker crossed her eyes, but she said nothing. The memory left her with a strange empty feeling, and she didn't understand why.

"That tom is worthless pile of rotting crowfood."

The she-cats were surprised when a low growl came unexpectedly from Darkpelt. The tom rarely spoke to them unless he was giving orders. Only Browneyes and Lostheart appeared to be the only ones unfazed by his sudden statement.

The tom's midnight blue eyes had grown even darker. "Being the son of a leader doesn't make you a powerful warrior. Only a fool, who believes nothing will ever harm him. One day he'll see..."

Darkpelt didn't even bother to look at the others as he rose to his powerful paws and stalked away to the warrior's den, leaving Greysight, Moonfur, and Roseclaw watching in surprise.

Lostheart's gaze flickered over to Browneyes and she noticed the tom's face fall slightly and his usual inviting smile turn into a small frown.

"Is he always like that?" meowed Moonfur.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**Short chapter is short. I apologize. I got a few messages that really wanted me to update so I did. I have updated my tumblr with a few little doo-dads and have also made a new speedpaint of moonfur on my youtube channel so feel free to check that out. Speaking of that picture, im using it for th cover of my new story about Moonfur's life. so if you're interested check that out as well. It is being written by a friend of mine.**

**Lost Out**

**P.S remember there are weekly updates, expect them on the weekends! **


	10. Chapter 10: Two Brothers

Unbeknownst to the small group of cats, another pair of eyes had watched the exchange from the shadows of his den. His dull green eyes watched as Darkpelt stalked away from the group and the cats began to disperse.

He watched as Browneyes followed after his brother and inside felt a familiar sense of tiredness. Shadestar had been a good mentor to him, it only seemed right that he would mentor the leader's son as well. The two brothers reminded him of himself and Willowstar.

The memories haunted him even now, although it seemed like it had been forever ago.

* * *

"Today's the day, Willowkit! We're going to be apprentices!" A small golden kit bowled into his brother, laughing happily. The other kit laughed and pushed his brother off of him, rising to his paws.

His fur stuck up in odd, wispy angles making the oak-colored tom appear very fluffy. "Yeah! This is what we've been practicing for." he meowed excitedly. As he spoke, Willowkit stood up proudly making his wild fur stick out in several places.

"Maybe even Shadestar will take on an apprentice." the tom meowed with an excited gleam in his yellow eyes.

Sunkit rolled his eyes, "That's all you think about." he teased.

"If I'm going to be a leader, I have to be trained by the best! Then no one will ever be able to beat us, together we'll be the strongest leaders in the forest!" Willowkit exclaimed.

Sunkit smiled and opened his mouth to reply, but the two kits were cut off by a loud call from outside causing both kits to turn their heads towards the entrance of the nursery.

In seconds, their mother had appeared by their side, herding them out of the nursery and into the clearing. Sunkit shuffled over his paws as his mother pushed them forward through the crowd of cats.

"Honestly Willowkit," the she-cat growled giving the tom a quick lick to the head, "I can never get your fur to behave."

A flash of white in the crowd caught his eye and Sunkit felt a twinge of butterflies in his stomach when he caught sight of Silentkit watching him in the crowd with her sister. As their eyes locked, Silentkit closed her eyes and gave Sunkit a supportive smile.

The golden tom blushed lightly and averted his gaze back to the path in front of them. He stepped forward as he felt his mother's presence slowly fade away and instead walked to the clearing in the front of the crowd with Willowkit by his side.

Sunkit stopped a few tail-lengths in front of the leaders den, and he and Willowkit looked up in awe at the figure silhouetted by the sunlight. The cats of DarkClan bowed their heads respectively as their leader took a step forward, revealing his form.

Sunkit's eyes widened and his face broken into an awe-filled smile at the leader staring down at him. It was Shadestar!

The sooty tom stared down at the two kits with deep, midnight blue eyes. His mouth was set in a stern line and his pelt rippled in the sunlight, revealing the firm muscles beneath his pelt.

Sunkit briefly glanced to his side and could see his brother with the same expression on his face. Shadestar was known widely throughout all the clans, he was a warrior strong and loyal. In a time of great hardship for DarkClan, Shadestar's leadership had been able to rebuild the clan and bring them to the height of their power. He was a legend and idol for all the young kits.

Sunkit eyes widened slightly when Shadestar's eyes connected with his own before looking out into the crowd of cats beneath him.

"Today is surely another productive day for DarkClan." his voice echoed across the clan, deep and full of meaning.

"StarClan has blessed us with the birth of these two young toms." His steely blue eyes turned down to look at the pair. "I can see that they will hold a great future for our clan."

"Sunkit and Willowkit have reached the age of six moons, and it is now time to begin their journey as apprentices. From this day on, until they have received their warrior name, these young toms will be known as Willowpaw and Sunpaw."

From the crowd, several cats cheered and called out the new names. The voices reached Sunpaw's ears and filled him with a sense of pride.

"I have also decided to mentor one of these young toms, and pass on my skills so that one day, when the clan needs a hero, one of these toms will be there when I cannot."

Sunpaw could feel Willowpaw light up beside him with a large grin breaking out on his face. Sunpaw almost couldn't believe it, StarClan must be watching over them. The thought made him smile, now Willowpaw could be happy.

"Sunpaw."

Sunpaw smiled and turned to congratulate his brother, but paused when he realized the name Shadestar had spoken. Willowpaw appeared to be stunned and looked up at the leader in surprise. Sunpaw watched as his brother's bright grin slowly faded away.

Sunpaw gasped as he felt himself being pushed forward by a cat from behind and was even more surprised to see Shadestar standing right in front of him. Wordlessly, the leader bent down and touched their two noses together.

Sunpaw stepped back, still feeling dumbfounded while the leader smiled approvingly at him. From the side, a pair of yellow eyes watched the exchange with a broken smile as they felt their dreams slowly crumbling away.

* * *

"Come on Willowpaw, you can train with me today. I'm sure Shadestar won't mind."

Willowpaw looked up at his brother with a doubtful expression. "Not likely. You two are always going off and doing special one on one training. What is he even teaching you?"

Sunpaw shrugged, his golden pelt shining lightly in the sunlight. "Just warrior stuff. Look, here he comes now, we can ask him."

Willowpaw looked up and followed his brother's gaze to see the leader in question striding toward them purposefully.

"Shadestar." Sunpaw meowed respectively while dipping his head towards his mentor. "I was wondering if you could allow my brother to train with us today. He's-"

"I'm sorry Sunpaw, but we can only train alone." Shadestar meowed fairly, "It is for the best."

Sunpaw nodded, accepting his mentor's answer and turning to his brother with an apologetic smile. "We're still on for hunting though, right?"

Willowpaw blinked and stood up, shaking off his wild fur, which had now grown a few more inches. "Sure."

* * *

Willowpaw's ears twitched at the sound of returning pawsteps and he stood up when he recognzed the scent of his brother. It was dark out now and the crickets had already begun to chirp loudly.

Sunpaw paused when he noticed his brother suddenly standing in front of him. "I thought we were going to go hunting?" he meowed questioningly.

Sunpaw shrugged, "Shadestar had to prolong our training, leader's apprentice type stuff, you wouldn't get it. We'll do it some other time. Come on, it's late. Let's get some rest, I'm beat."

Willowpaw said nothing more and sighed in exasperation before following his brother into the apprentice's den. Cherrypaw, Silentpaw, Longpaw, Ivypaw, Windpaw, and Neopaw were all already inside.

Sunpaw grinned as he caught sight of Ivypaw and Neopaw laughing and talking in the back of the den and quickly hurried over to join them. Willowpaw watched as his brother settled down among his friends and began to talk amiably with them.

His yellow eyes flickered over to the she-cats when he caught sight of them watching him from the corner of his eye. They looked away in embarrassment and began to whisper amongst each other once more.

Willowpaw stalked past the group to where his nest was located and lay down with an audible thump, letting his wild fur spread out beneath him.

Silently he licked his white chest fur and listened quietly, hoping to catch bits of their conversation. He listened as Sunpaw laughed with Ivypaw and shoved him roughly in the shoulder while Neopaw watched the pair laughing good-naturedly.

Ivypaw and Sunpaw always seemed to be joined at the hip, even when they were kits, the two were the best of friends. The clan doted upon the two toms and marveled at their talent, the she-cats also seemed to have an apparent fondness for them.

Willowpaw snorted and turned himself over so that his back was towards the group, closing his eyes in an attempt to get some rest and block out the noise.

He worked harder than any of them, yet no one ever paid attention to him. Sunpaw had always gotten everything...

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**TO BE CONTINUED. Yes, it is finally here, the past snidbits. Any questions? Feel free to leave them in reviews. Or just opiniong/thoughts I love reading those. I was actually really inspired for Sun and Willow's relationship with this song: Funeral for a Tree from the Lorax. I had just seen it with my mom and the moment i heard the piano during the movie i was instantly inspired.**

**Lost Out**


	11. Chapter 11: Willow and Sun

A large group of apprentices sat nervously in the sand as Shadestar stood before them to see the progress of their training, a tradition that he himself had enacted in order to help better DarkClan's warriors and increase his awareness of his cats' particular strengths and weaknesses.

He had already finished watching each of their training sessions and spoken with their mentors, now it was time for him to announce his analysis.

Shadestar's eyes traveled over the apprentices sitting before him and he felt a great pride in his chest looking into the eyes of the future of his clan.

"You are our future, what you do may very well end up changing our clan's destiny one day. Therefore your training is very important, I hope that all of you will remember this." Shadestar meowed oddly.

The apprentices watched with wide eyes, eagerly hanging onto Shadestar's every word. The leader closed his eyes and quickly reopened them in a flash of blue.

"I am very impressed with your training. However, I believe many of you should try and put in more effort." Shadestar's words made many of the apprentice's heads fall in shame.

Sunpaw hung his head low, eyes a dull green. How could he have not been working hard enough? He had to if he and Willowpaw were going to be the leaders one day.

Shadestar watched curiously as his golden apprentice hung his head low, surprised by the display. The tom then smiled to himself.

"However."

At his words, the apprentice's heads shot up and watched their leader in surprise.

"Sunpaw has done a great job of proving himself as a warrior today, you all should take after his example."

Shadestar's words made Sunpaw's eyes light up. Ivypaw and Neopaw both lightly pushed him, laughing at their friend's face. Sunpaw blushed as Silentpaw came over and meowed her congratulations along with her friend Cherrypaw.

The small brown she-cat merely rolled her eyes, "Don't get too cocky, hotshot." she meowed. Sunpaw laughed and smiled at the small cat, she may have a bite to her, but he knew Cherrypaw was kind friend.

Shadestar watched the group of interacting apprentice's intently, however a figure in his peripheral caught the sooty tom's attention. Willowpaw sat away from the group, his yellow eyes staring at the other cats with an intensity Shadestar hadn't seen before.

He knew this young tom, it was Willowpaw, Sunpaw's brother. He was one of the apprentices who appeared to be falling behind in his training. He was a thin cat, giving his opponents a clear weight advantage, that and the apprentice was just...weak.

Shadestar had taken to keeping an eye on Willowpaw out of curiosity. He often found the mangled young tom in the training hollow, slashing away at the log that lay on the far side of the clearing.

Shadestar frowned lightly and turned back to see the other apprentices leave the hollow laughing and beginning to make their way back to camp. Wordlessly, after the apprentices had padded far enough away, Shadestar walked over to the young tom.

Willowpaw looked up in surprise at the leader's sudden appearance, but he quickly regained his composition. "Shadestar?"

"Since you were young," the leader began unexpectedly, "I have always taken to keeping an eye on you and your brother. Young one... you must stop chasing after your brother, jealousy will get you nowhere. Being a leader isn't the right path for you." he meowed gravely.

Willowpaw's eyes slowly widened as he took in Shadestar's words and Shadestar could see the anger burning in his shining yellow orbs.

"What do you know!?" the tom hissed. "No one understands how hard I try! Maybe if you actually would help train me I would be better than him!" Willowpaw shouted, clenching his eyes shut.

"Why?...Why him? I've always dreamed of being a leader one day. We promised each other...that we would rule, together."

The question didn't surprise the leader, he could see it in Willowpaw's eyes. The tom longed to be a leader and was jealous of his brother's talent.

Shadestar remained impassive and watched the frustrated young tom calmly. "It is not the way of things. All my decisions are made for a reason, but I know that both you and your brother are very important to this clan."

Willowpaw's eyes narrowed at the leader defiantly, "We're going to be leaders one day! The two most powerful cats in the forest, together no one will ever defeat us! I'm going to be a great leader!"

Willowpaw had leapt to his feet and was now watching Shadestar with the same intensity the leader had seen directed at the other apprentices.

"Being a clan leader is an honorable position, young one. There is much you do not understand. Being leader gives you a lot of power, but some cats cannot handle that power. The choices you make determine what type of cat you are going to be. You must make sure that you always make the right ones. Do you understand?"

Willowpaw's expression remained unchanged, but the young tom said nothing. Willowpaw suddenly seemed to deflate after his bout of anger.

"Forget it."

With those final mumbled words, Willowpaw turned away from Shadestar and padded off into the forest, leaving Shadestar alone in the clearing. His bushy tail swaying side to side as he went.

Shadestar watched the apprentice leave with a serious expression. He was so focused on becoming leader...the young tom's ambition astounded him.

* * *

"Willowheart!"

A pair of yellow eyes blinked calmly in the shade of the forest, turning to see the source of the sudden noise. The familiar golden pelt of his brother suddenly appeared before him, a stark contrast to his dull, brown coat.

"Sunspirit? What are you doing here?"

The golden tom blinked his vibrant green eyes, "I could be asking you the same, what are you doing out here all by yourself anyways?"

"I was just going to do some hunting, why? Does Shadestar need me?" Willowheart asked blandly. The DarkClan leader had always pushed him away, it seemed doubtful he would start paying attention to him now.

Sunspirit watched his brother with concern, he seemed so distant now. The other cats were always whispering about his brother, but he didn't pay attention to them.

"No, I just don't get to see you as much anymore. Shadestar keeps me pretty busy, being deputy and all."

Willowheart's pelt twitched lightly at Sunspirit's words, "Yes, it must be such a pain." he replied sarcastically.

Sunspirit was surprised by his brother's words and felt his pelt heat up in anger. "What's that supposed to mean?" he growled.

Willowheart faced Sunspirit evenly, meeting his brother's angry gaze with a hard glare. "Do you think you're better than me?" he growled lowly.

"What? Where did that even come from?!" Sunspirit retorted angrily, shaking his head.

Willowheart snorted and began to stalk away. Sunspirit watched him in frustration, if he was going to be that way fine. Willowheart was just jealous that he was a better fighter and Shadestar liked him better.

_'I don't know what's been up with him lately.'_

It was probably just a phase, Willowheart was always like this, off and on. Sunspirit knew that his brother was angry about Shadestar choosing him to be deputy, Willowheart was too stuck in the past.

It was impossible for two cats to be leader at one time, Sunspirit and Willowheart's promise was just a little kit thing, just playing around. It couldn't be applied to real life, it didn't matter now anyway. When it came time, Sunspirit would be the leader of DarkClan.

_'Still...'_

Sunspirit smiled lightly, he already knew that when he became leader he couldn't choose anyone besides his brother to be his deputy. He owed him that much, besides, Willowheart was a loyal warrior of DarkClan and a decent fighter. Sunspirit knew how dedicated his brother was.

Although he had to admit, Willowheart was acting stranger than usual as of late. Just this morning he could have sworn he had overheard the tom whispering to himself.

Shaking the thoughts of his brother from his head, Sunspirit walked through the forest feeling completely at ease. The small spots of sunlight shone brilliantly on his pelt and warmed him up easily. Things couldn't be better.

After successfully driving away an attacking OceanClan patrol, Shadestar had been quick to name Sunspirit deputy after their deputy, Ravenclaw, passed away of old age. It was unfortunate that the old tom never got his chance, but Sunspirit was happy nonetheless.

Willowheart had also been in the defense group, Sunspirit knew if his brother hadn't been there, they might not have won. For that, he was extremely grateful.

He smiled as he caught sight of the large maple tree in the center of the small grove. His whole being lit up as he caught sight of Silentshadow, Ivyfoot, and Cherrynose lounging in it's branches. His friends turned to look at him and began to shout their greetings.

Sunspirit smirked and bounded through the flowers before pulling himself quickly up into the tree, as he had many times before. As apprentices, they had always met up here. It was a place where they could relax and have fun, simply enjoying each other's company.

This was their place.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**Didn't proof read this, so I apologize for any small grammatical/spelling errors. :) Read and review~ And feel free to ask questions and voice opinions and thoughts, I really enjoy reading all your theories! OK Im gonna go all Warriors hipster here, but does anyone else hate the new warrior names the come up with? They're just so ugh. Especially third and fourth series, I didn't really like them either. The original will always be my favorite, back then the story was better and the names sounded better. Plus there were several cats with the same name endings and it was fine, now everyone's all ewww its too basic. Personally I prefer those types of names. some of these new ones/ fancy things people come up with are just...stupid. :P Rant over, I apologize.**

**Lost Out**


	12. Chapter 12: Betrayal

Sunspirit was experiencing a pleasant dream, one in which he and Silentshadow were hunting happily in the forest. Her brilliant smile captivated him as her glowing form raced among the trees. He laughed and prepared to follow her, but the sharp snapping of a twig caught him by surprise.

Sunspirit's eyes flashed open, wearily he blinked a few times and lifted his head to peer around the warriors den. Nothing seemed any different, had he imagined it? Frowning slightly, he let his gaze wander amongst the sleeping cats and paused when he laid eyes on Willowheart's empty nest.

Where was Willowheart? The sound from earlier must have been him, not to mention his scent was still strong. Sunspirit opened his mouth to better breathe in the scent and carefully stood up, weaving his way through the sleeping cats, carefully making sure not to wake them up.

He slowed his pace as he exited the warrior's den, padding lightly to avoid any detection. Sunspirit was surprised to see the dark shape of his brother padding into the tree tunnel and fading away into the darkness of the night.

What was he doing? Surely he didn't have any business sneaking out of camp in the middle of the night? A small wave of anxiety and confusion washed over Sunspirit as he looked back to the warrior's den.

There was no need to wake the others, he decided, he was the deputy after all, it was his job to look into these types of things. Still, Willowheart's odd behavior deeply concerned Sunspirit. Padding forward with worry, he crept across the camp, the dark shadows of the forest shielding him from any prying eyes.

It wasn't hard to track Willowheart's steps, his scent was strong and Sunstar had seen him leave. As he padded into the denser part of the forest, Sunstar vaguely wondered if he should call out to his brother, but for some reason his body was telling him not to. He was curious to see where Willowheart was going.

He had been acting strange lately. He seemed more angry than usual, and he had no problems voicing his distaste for Shadestar. Most of the clan paid him no mind, to them he was just an odd cat, always keeping to himself.

Sunspirit began to recognize the path that Willowheart was taking, he was heading towards the TreeClan border, they were almost there now. Sunspirit jumped lightly when Willowheart's form suddenly appeared in the trees, the tom had stopped moving, catching Sunspirit by surprise.

He had to quickly crouch down behind a large oak in order to keep himself hidden. Willowheart stood silently in the darkness and there was no sound other than the chirping of the crickets in the night.

"I know you've been following me."

Sunspirit felt a cold chill at the sound of Willowheart's voice, he knew it would be pointless to try and continue hiding, so he conceded and stepped out from behind the tree.

Willowheart turned to face his brother with a glaring yellow gaze. "Sunspirit."

Sunspirit blinked at the edge to Willowheart's tone of voice, "Willowheart," he meowed glancing around the area, "What are you doing out here?"

Sunspirit could see a flicker of something pass through the tom's yellow eyes, something wasn't right about this. Willowheart had yet to say anything and remained watching his brother, yellow eyes hard and transfixed.

Sunspirit began to feel irritated by his brother's apathy, he narrowed his eyes and meowed again in a stronger voice, the voice of a deputy.

"I said, what are you doing out here? I saw you sneaking out of camp. As the deputy of DarkClan, I command you to tell me. Now."

Sunspirit stood up taller and let his face fall into a serious expression. Willowheart remained emotionless and slowly, the bushy tom lowered his head.

Sunspirit was confused by the gesture, and felt his eyes widen when Willowheart's form began to shake. Sunspirit narrowed his eyes in fury as a low hollow laugh echoed from his brother. The laugh soon escalated until he was watching Sunstar with gleaming yellow eyes and a wide grin on his face.

Sunspirit had never seen that look on his brother before, and it disturbed him greatly. The tom's narrow yellow eyes shone brightly in the night giving him an eerie appearance, but what disturbed Sunspirit was the tom's smile.

There was something off about it. Willowheart's grin curved upward on both sides revealing rows of sharp, white teeth. They looked as if they were being grated against each other and could crack under the pressure at any moment.

"You think you're so special." Willowheart began, his face becoming serious once more as the oak colored tom rose to his paws. His wild fur moving slightly as he did.

"You don't deserve to be deputy!" he hissed. "Shadestar is an old fool! I am the one truly deserving of the title! I am the one who worked harder than you every day of my life!"

Sunspirit could feel his anger rising at Willowheart's words, _'How dare he!_' Yet Sunspirit still didn't fully understand what his brother was trying to say or even what he was talking about.

"Shadestar is the wisest cat you will ever meet, don't you dare insult him in my presence! He's your leader! Everything he does is done by the will of StarClan, they are the source of our very being!"

A cold laugh rang out through the forest, cackling and wheezing, shaking the tom's form as he did so. "DarkClan is a clan of fools! Ever since the beginning, Xander was the only one with true power, but that generation is dead and gone. I have decided to put in my efforts elsewhere."

Sunspirit's vivid green eyes widened as realization dawned on him, his claws dug into the soil and he had to hold back the tears of rage burning in his eyes.

"You're going to leave. Deserting us for TreeClan." Sunstar meowed emotionlessly.

"So you finally get it."

Sunspirit's eyes snapped up, "Why? Willowheart, I don't understand."

"I have never gotten the recognition I deserve! DarkClan is a weak, pathetic clan and I won't waste any of my time staying here. You don't recognize greatness when you see it!"

Sunspirit was silent for a moment, face shadowed. _'So, this is why...' _His claw suddenly tightened and he slowly crouched down into a fighting position.

"If you're really going to TreeClan, then I'm afraid I can't let you get away."

Willowheart let out a laugh, "Look at you, always trying to play the hero. What? Still trying to impress Silentshadow? In all honesty a pretty little thing like her is too good for you."

Sunspirit hissed in rage. "Shut up!" he yowled. "Don't bring Silentshadow into this! Your opponent is me, and I'll never let you do this! By the will of StarClan, I will stop you."

The forest had become deadly silent and Sunstar could only watch as Willowstar padded forward with claws unsheathed. He paused a few tail-lengths away from Sunstar and a wide grin stretched across his face before his head rolled backward and he laughed insanely.

"StarClan is for the weak! I am the most powerful cat in the forest, I am more powerful than StarClan itself. You can never defeat me!"

Willowheart's eyes had changed and were now opened widely, his pupils barely more than slits. As his brother stood before him, Sunspirit realized just how large Willowheart had become.

The tom was massive, he towered above his brother and his wild fur made him appear even more intimidating. Sunspirit had never realized how much he had changed.

He never wanted this to happen. Willowheart was his brother, he didn't want to hurt him. Sunspirit let his head fall before rushing forward and letting out a fierce yowl.

Sunspirit was surprised when Willowheart made no move to dodge his attack. Sunspirit outstretched claw latched itself onto one of the tom's forelegs, making Sunspirit smirk victoriously at his new hold.

His eyes widened in fear as he met the yellow eyes of his brother and gasped in astonishment as the tom grinned, and with Sunspirit's forepaw attached, lifted Sunspirit off the ground and tossed him aside, slamming him back onto the earth.

Sunspirit winced as his body hit the hard earth and he immediately struggled to get up and regain the wind that had been knocked out of him. Willowheart's strength shocked him, he had never seen anything like it before.

His eyes widened in fear as the tom rushed at him, his wild fur getting pushed back by the wind. Sunspirit stumbled to his paws and rose to defend himself, but he wasn't fast enough.

In seconds, Willowheart appeared by his side and slammed one of his paws upward into Sunspirit's underbelly.

The force of his blow lifted Sunspirit off the ground and made his neck arch in pain, and he coughed blood from his mouth. Willowheart quickly retaliated with the opposite paw and knocked Sunspirit across the clearing.

Sunspirit knew that he was holding back, but he couldn't help it, Willowheart was his brother. The tom charged at him again, and Sunstar leapt to his paws racing forward to clash with him in retaliation. As they neared closer, timed seemed to slow down.

Instead of seeing Willowheart's enraged face, he was met with the face of Willowkit, smiling happily and laughing as the two played...

Sunstar gasped as he felt himself being slammed into the ground, he had to cough to rid himself of the blood filling up his throat. His body felt completely drained of all strength, and he could not bring himself to stand back up.

Willowheart stood over him with sharp yellow eyes, staring down at his defeated figure with a jagged grin.

The last thing Sunspirit saw was the paws of his brother before the darkness engulfed him.

* * *

**AUTHOR's NOTE**

**I apologize if this isn't the best chapter in the world, I wrote it at midnight so I'm kind of out of it. Don't forget to leave any thoughts or questions! Goodnight!~ ALSO for 'Never Meant to Belong' I'm not the author, so I can't control the updates. I'm sure there will be one in the next few days though.**

**Lost **


	13. Chapter 13: TreeClan

"Sunspirit? Sunspirit? Can you hear me?"

With a groan, Sunspirit flinched and slowly opened his eyes, blinking repeatedly to adjust to his new environment. He was surprised to see Ivyfoot standing over him with a concerned expression.

Slowly he pulled himself up and saw the several cats sitting around him, all watching with similar expressions. Shadestar was also sitting in front of him with his ever present calmness that always seemed to surround the accomplished leader.

"What..happened?" Sunspirit meowed groggily, trying to ignore the sharp pounding in his head. He could see the other cats exchange brief looks and return to watching him with questioning eyes.

"We were going to as you that. When we woke up this morning, you and Willowheart were both gone. At first we thought you guys had gone off to hunt, but your scents were stale and you still had yet to return." Ivyfoot turned his head toward Shadestar.

"Shadestar sent me to look for you. I found you unconscious in the woods. Sunspirit, you're completely disheveled. What happened? Did you get into a fight? Where's Willowheart?"

Sunspirit was silent for a moment, taking in Ivyfoot's words. Suddenly the memories began flashing through his head, the fight, Willowheart, TreeClan, everything. Ivyfoot could see the look of shock in his friends face.

Ivyfoot crouched down beside Sunspirit and eyed him with concern. "Sunspirit, where's Willowheart?"

Sunspirit sat completely still, his eyes staring past Ivyfoot and meeting the cool blue of Shadestar's gaze. Sunspirit's gaze did not falter as he opened his mouth to speak.

"He's gone..."

The cats' eyes surrounding widened in shock, yet Shadestar only seemed to lower his head in understanding.

"I see. I had hoped..."

Ivyfoot looked between Sunspirit and Shadestar in confusion, as did many of the DarkClan cats. "What do you mean?"

Shadestar looked up gravely and faced the entirety of the clan. "Willowheart has betrayed us and gone to join the ranks of another clan."

Shocked yowls pierced the air and many cats leapt to their paws, screeching about how he could possibly do a thing like that.

Despite the noise and surprise around him, Sunspirit sat emotionless, his gaze fixed on the ground in front of him with a dull expression.

_'I...couldn't stop him..'_

He jumped slightly as a new feeling of warmth enveloped his side and turned tiredly to see Silentshadow pressed against him.

"I'm sorry Sunspirit." she whispered.

* * *

Silentshadow sat by the warrior's den beside Cherrynose as the small brown she-cat cleaned her own fur. Her large blue eyes wandered across the clearing to where Sunspirit was talking privately with Shadestar.

The tom's face was completely serious and he stood proudly in a stiff manner. It had been like this since Willowstar left...

Sunspirit had become so distant, his face was always in a constant frown and he had become a lot stricter in the camp. Silentshadow's eyes fell as she watched him stalk away and declare an order to a nearby warrior.

She could tell he was hurting inside. He was tired and angry, and she knew he blamed himself. The golden tom refused to speak of what happened between him and Willowheart to anybody, not even her.

Sunspirit's coldness hurt her, but she knew that he meant well. Tonight was going to be the first Gathering since Willowheart left. All the cats were tense, wondering what might happen, and if Willowheart would be there.

Some believed Willowheart had left the forest, while others were curious to see if he would be in another clan. It seemed doubtful that TreeClan, LightClan, or OceanClan would accept an enemy warrior into their ranks.

She had begun to hear whispers around camp questioning Sunspirit's own loyalty, and rumors that he and his brother were plotting something to take over DarkClan. She knew Sunspirit knew about these accusations, but the tom said nothing.

Silentshadow let out a small sigh, whatever was going to happen tonight, she hoped that Sunspirit would be okay. It hurt her to see him like this.

* * *

Sunspirit walked with his head held high as he followed beside Shadestar and led DarkClan into Fourtrees. He would not show any signs of weakness, he was the deputy of DarkClan, such things were beyond him.

Sunspirit didn't look through the crowd of cats surrounding him as he padded forward with Shadestar, instead, his eyes were transfixed on the stone that sat in the back of the clearing. He parted ways with Shadestar at its base after the leader gave him a brief nod.

He then took his place among the other deputies and sat in silence, staring out into the large mass of cats. It didn't take long for the meeting to begin after the clan leaders had gathered atop the great stone.

"Cats of all clans, we welcome you to the Gathering!"

Sunspirit was surprised to hear Morningstar issue the call for the meeting begin. After the past attack from LightClan, LightClan's previous leader had died in battle. Morningstar had become the newest leader, Sunspirit wondered if she was up to leading a clan, the she-cat was an unbearably kind cat.

She always seemed very shy and submissive, which is why it surprised him to hear her voice ring throughout the clearing.

"I will begin by sharing the news from LightClan, we are recovering well. On behalf of LightClan, I'd like to thank you Shadestar for putting an end to Wavestar's treachery." she meowed, turning towards the sooty tom.

Shadestar made a slight nod in return before Morningstar faced the clans once more. "I will try my best to lead LightClan as well as Sprigstar has done."

A dark grey tom with wavy black stripes joined her at the height of the great stone. "You have OceanClan's gratitude as well, Wavestar had become too corrupt . We were blinded by our loyalty to him, as the new leader of OceanClan, I hope to make up for our clan's past mistakes."

Shadestar remained completely calm, thanking Dualstar for his kind words. The new OceanClan leader was a strong warrior, and Shadestar had no doubt he would be able to return OceanClan to its past greatness.

"I would also like to announce the new deputy I have chosen to help restore OceanClan. He is one of our strongest and most loyal warriors, Brisingstep is the new deputy of OceanClan."

Cheers from OceanClan broke out from the crowd of cats, as well as many supportive meows from cats of the other clans. Sunspirit found himself smiling widely, all previous anxiety temporarily forgotten. Brisingstep, despite being from OceanClan, was one of his closer friends.

He had met the tom during his first Gathering as an apprentice, he was a loyal cat and Sunspirit couldn't be happier for him. His green eyes searched over the crowd as he realized Brisingstep wasn't sitting with the rest of the deputies, but Sunspirit couldn't find any trace of the OceanClan tom.

He was broken from his searching when he laid eyes on Oakstar, TreeClan's leader, padding forward on the Great Rock. Thoughts of his brother rushed through his head, yet he still hadn't seen any sign of Willowheart.

Oakstar was a strong tom, he had been leading TreeClan for a while now, but the aging tom was able to remain strong. The red tint to his brown tabby pelt gave him a regal appearance.

"Greetings friends. TreeClan is doing well, just recently Redfern gave birth to five new, healthy kits. Truly StarClan must smile upon us for our good fortune, for not only have we acquired new kits, but a strong warrior as well."

Sunspirit's ears instantly perked and his eyes flickered toward Shadestar, for a second blue eyes met green, but the DarkClan leader revealed nothing.

"We are proud to accept Willowheart as a warrior of TreeClan."

The name Willowheart caught the attention of several cats in the clearing, it couldn't be the same Willowheart from DarkClan? Their thoughts were answered when an angry yowl sounded in the clearing.

The warriors turned in surprise to see Cherrynose; a small, spunky she-cat from DarkClan; glaring defiantly up at the clan leaders.

"Willowheart is a traitor! How can you let him into your clan?!"

The clearing broke out into a loud buzzing as the cats whispered amongst each other, some confused while others were angry.

Shadestar rose to all fours and joined Oakstar at the edge of the Great Rock. "Silence!"

The cats looked up in surprise at the sound of the DarkClan leader's strong voice. He then turned to Oakstar.

"Is this true?"

The large red tom nodded, "Willowheart came to us, and we are glad to accept him. He is a strong warrior whose talents will be respected in TreeClan."

Morningstar stepped forward between the two toms, "Surely there is something about this in the warrior code?"

Oakstar remained impassive. "The warrior code says nothing about the admittance of other into a clan. Willowheart is a member of TreeClan now."

Shadestar lowered his head and conceded with a small nod. "He's right Morningstar. Willowheart is a member of TreeClan now."

Oakstar appeared to be pleased by Shadestar's response, the great tom nodded his head respectively. "He is a formidable tom, Shadestar. I feel like we can expect great things from him in the future."

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**End was kinda rushed. : Updateee. Yes we are almost done with the flashbacks. ALSO Yes I did/ am writing this story xD I was referring to my friend Moon who is choosing to right one of the other stories in my profile "Never Meant to Belong". Speaking of which I can't tell you when she'll update :( We'll just have to wait and see. Reviews are loved! Any questions leave em' in reviews :)**


	14. Chapter 14: The Hero of DarkClan

It wasn't long until Willowheart was made deputy of TreeClan. It had only been a few moons since the announcement he had joined. He was announced deputy after their old deputy suddenly fell very ill and passed away.

That was the first time Sunspirit had seen his brother since the day he left. The two avoided each other throughout the entire event and sat on opposite sides of the Great Rock. Sunspirit couldn't believe it, it had taken him ages to become deputy!

Willowheart had barely even been in TreeClan for more than a couple moons, but what really bothered Sunspirit was the fact that the TreeClan cats appeared to be okay with it. Despite Willowheart's betrayal, life continued on normally for the DarkClan cats.

The first wave of foxes appeared during this time, no DarkClan cat had expected it. DarkClan was left weakened by the first battle, and Shadestar had lost another life. Since Willowheart left, it seemed like everything had suddenly become plagued by misfortune.

Sunspirit growled lightly as he shifted again in an attempt to get comfortable, but it seemed impossible. He sighed lightly and looked to his side where Silentshadow lay curled against him. Carefully, he stood up and crept quietly out of the warriors den.

His eyes fell over the sleeping faces of his friends, Ivyfoot, Cherrynose, Neoseeker, Windstream, and even Longtail. Despite the Siamese's constant attempts to win him over, Sunspirit regarded Longtail as a friend. He couldn't help feeling like this was all his fault, and that he let everyone down.

_'How am I ever going to be able to lead a clan one day?' _thought Sunspirit bitterly as he stepped out into the moonlight. The crickets chirped in the night, loud as usual, as Sunspirit paced across the clearing. He hated feeling so tense all the time.

"You seem troubled, young one."

Sunspirit jumped lightly and immediately whipped around to see Shadestar sitting behind him, watching with a calm expression. Sunspirit let out a breath of air.

"I don't know what to do. I feel like this is all my fault, what kind of leader will I be if I can't even solve our problems."

Shadestar listened silently, quietly absorbing Sunspirit's words with a passive expression.

"Sunstar, you have done more for this clan than any other cat for your age. If anyone is to blame it is myself." the leader replied, suddenly appearing tired and weak.

Sunspirit opened his mouth to protest, but was cut off when Shadestar spoke again, shaking his head. "I was an ignorant fool."

Sunspirit looked down tiredly, Shadestar was one of the wisest cats he had ever met, and he refused to believe the old tom's self incriminating words.

"I know you'll be a great leader one day. From the second I laid eyes on you as a kit, I knew."

* * *

No. It couldn't be possible. Sunspirit looked up at the Great Rock in disbelief, because there standing among the leaders was none other than Willowheart.

The dark warrior stood at the edge of the Great Rock, looking down on the cats below with gleaming yellow eyes. Sunspirit watched as his mouth stretched into a small grin.

"Cats of all clans," he began, "It is my duty to tell you that Oakstar, our leader, has passed on."

Shocked murmurs rang throughout the clearing, as well as several pitiful wails. Sunspirit's eyes danced around the clearing, taking in the pain filled faces of the clan cats. If Oakstar was dead...

Sunspirit froze, then very slowly he turned back towards the Great Rock in disbelief. _'No...'_

Willowheart stood proudly at the edge of the great stone, his massive body casting a twisted shadow over the cats below.

"I, Willowstar, am the new leader of TreeClan."

Dualstar and Morningstar appeared to be equally surprised, yet Shadestar didn't appear to be surprised at all. His face was as calm and serious as always.

Sunspirit's ear twitched as several TreeClan cats burst into cheers and yowled enthusiastically up at their new leader. Sunspirit's head twisted around the clearing, surprised by their enthusiasm. They didn't appear to be grieving for Oakstar at all.

Nearby, he saw a TreeClan she-cat looking up at the Great Rock in awe, her eyes shone widely and she yowled enthusiastically. The sight greatly disturbed Sunspirit, the golden tom gulped and returned his gaze to the great rock.

Hazeltail, TreeClan's medicine cat, also sat on the high rock to Willowstar's side along with a peculiar black cat Sunspirit couldn't recall ever seeing before. She dipped her head respectfully, "Yes, Oakstar passed away due to illness. It is quite unfortunate."

Morningstar shook her head in admonishment. "How awful." The LightClan leader appeared to be very disheartened by the news, but she turned to Willowstar and smiled all the same.

"Willowstar, I know you will fit in well among our ranks, and we welcome you as a fellow leader."

Dualstar nodded as well, "Yes."

Shadestar remained silent as Willowstar's eyes locked with his own. The sooty warrior was caught off guard when he saw something flash in the large tom's eyes. Willowstar smirked and brushed past the DarkClan leader.

Shadestar became rigid as Willowstar brushed past him, but he listened as a low growl caught his attention. "I have a proposition for you, Shadestar. Meet me at the base of the stone at the end of the Gathering."

* * *

Shadestar's deep, blue eyes narrowed as Willowstar stepped towards him. "What is it that you want?" he meowed calmly in a deep, commanding voice.

Willowstar's face broke out into a long smile, and his eyes flashed once more. The sight set Shadestar on edge, and his tail twitched tensely.

"DarkClan is weak. My clan is thriving, while yours becomes frailer each day. It would be an easy task for TreeClan to wipe you out."

As the words left Willowstar's mouth, Shadestar's fur bristled and he rose onto four legs. "How dare you threaten my clan!" he hissed.

Yet despite himself, Shadestar knew Willowstar was right. If they were attacked right now, there was no way they would be able to fend them off.

Willowstar's grin faded and his eyes suddenly became very dark. Willowstar towered over Shadestar at his full height and stared down at the older warrior with hate.

"I can destroy everything you hold dear to you. It would be unwise to doubt me." he growled. Shadestar held Willowstar's gaze, he knew the tom was speaking the truth. There was no doubt in his mind that Willowstar wouldn't do it.

Shadestar took a step back, eyeing TreeClan's new leader warily. "What do you want?"

"I will destroy DarkClan."

Shadestar's eyes widened slightly, but the tom didn't appear surprised by his words.

"However."

Shadestar's midnight blue eyes narrowed as Willowstar spoke up again, eyeing the warrior with suspicion as Willowstar turned to step around him.

"I may reconsider." he meowed eyeing the DarkClan leader, "If you come to face me, I won't attack your clan. You see, it is not DarkClan that I truly want to see get destroyed." he growled with a smile on his face.

"It's you."

Shadestar sat stiffly, ignoring the way Willowstar was circling around him.

"There is a clearing near the edge of DarkClan's territory by the TreeClan border, in the trees before the forest cuts off. I'm sure you know the place. Meet me there and I'll leave DarkClan alone."

With his final words, Willowstar turned away and walked calmly into the dark forest. "Moonrise, two days from now. Oh, and Shadestar. Don't keep me waiting."

* * *

Sunstar was sitting in the clearing with Silentshadow. The two cats sat in content silence and were happy just to watch the stars in each other's company. It had been two days since the last Gathering.

Initially Sunstar had been shocked to see his brother on the Great Rock, but he soon became overcome by anger. His brother had become a leader before him, and for a clan that didn't even share his own blood!

Silentshadow had been quick to comfort him while Ivyfoot and Neoseeker gave him some space. It was only in times like now, when he was with Silentshadow, that he was able to relax and take off the mask he wore. Sunspirit knew he could be himself around her.

The two remained by each other's side listening to the sound of the crickets and forest around them. Sunspirit's ear twitched when another sound suddenly caught his attention.

He turned curiously and blinked as he saw Shadestar outside the nursery. The tom rubbed affectionately against his mate, Blizzardpelt, and he could hear Shadestar's laughter as his two sons ran out to greet him. Barely two moons old, Darkkit and Brownkit ran excitedly to greet their father. Sunspirit smiled as he watched Shadestar bat around and play with the two kits and let out a chuckle as they tried to attack their father's ears.

Silentshadow followed his line of vision, and began to purr as well as she watched the kits. It wasn't long before Blizzardpelt called the kits inside. Sunspirit watched as Shadestar touched his forehead to both Brownkit's and Darkkit's before turning away.

He was surprised, however, when the sooty tom started coming their way. He could feel Silentshadow's curiosity pique as well.

"Shadestar."

The old warrior looked between the two cats, after a moment of silence he dipped his head lightly. "Sunspirit, Silentshadow, I would enjoy it if you two would accompany on a walk through the forest."

Sunspirit was confused by his mentor's sudden request, but decided not to question the old cat.

"Who will watch the camp?" Sunspirit replied.

"I have already asked Ivyfoot to watch over things in my absence, I only ask that I might have your company for the night."

Sunspirit looked to Silentshadow who smiled and blinked her large blue eyes, "We'd love to." she purred.

Shadestar let out an old, tired smile of his own. "Ah, thank you Silentshadow. As always your kindness knows no end."

The three cats left camp and began to pad through the dark forest with Shadestar in the lead, The old tom brushed calmly through the forest with an expression Sunspirit had never seen before. It looked as if Shadestar was recalling memories of his past, or attempting to memorize the forest's every detail.

It was silent for a while until Shadestar suddenly stopped abruptly in their path, taking Sunspirit and Silentshadow by surprise. The tom remained completely still, but said nothing.

Silentshadow's eyes flickered to Sunspirit who returned her gaze with a concerned one of his own.

"Shadestar?" Sunspirit asked curiously. The golden tom's ear twitched at the sound of approaching pawsteps and unfamiliar scents. Silentshadow turned to him, alarmed, and he could see the fear and confusion in her eyes.

Sunspirit opened his mouth to speak again, but froze when he saw four cats pad out of the bushes. Willowstar examined the group and snorted.

"I never said you could bring anyone."

Shadestar remained impassive. "True, but then again, you never said I couldn't."

Willowstar's tail twitched in irritation and the cats behind him hissed at the DarkClan leader. "How dare you speak to Willowstar with such-"

The she-cat was silenced by a flick of Willowstar's tail, causing her to dip her head and step back.

Sunspirit and Silentshadow were still trying to figure out what exactly was going on. Sunspirit didn't recognize two of the TreeClan warriors, but the black tom from the Gathering was unmistakable. It suddenly dawned on him this meeting had been planned, but for what purpose?

Silentshadow and Sunspirit exchanged nervous glances and Sunspirit stepped forward. "Shadestar? What is this?"

The attention of all the cats in the clearing suddenly focused on the golden tom who was now eyeing the group curiously. Shadestar was silent for a moment, but the tom looked as if he was about to reply when he was suddenly cut off by a low chuckle.

Sunspirit's eyes snapped forward towards Willowstar who had taken a step forward, leaving his cats to remain standing in the background.

"Why, a duel of course."

Silentshadow blinked, "A duel?" she whispered.

"Yes," Shadestar replied, catching the cats' attention, "Just like the warriors of old, Willowstar has challenged me to a duel. A fight between clan leaders, based on our agreement."

Willowstar smirked. "I'm glad you decided to come, a smart choice on your behalf."

Sunspirit's eyes widened in realization. He was familiar with the stories, it was said that the two cats fought to the death. Shadestar couldn't possibly be thinking of accepting such a challenge.

Shadestar took a step forward into the center of the clearing across from Willowstar. "I will do anything it takes for the safety of my clan. That is what a leader does, something I'm sure you will never be able to understand."

Willowstar's face darkened at his words, but very slowly his grin widened and his eyes took on their wild look. "You're going to die here!" he hissed as his large bushy tail lashed back and forth.

Shadestar was about to take another step forward, but was suddenly cut off when Sunspirit ran in front of him, blocking his path.

"No! I won't let you do this!" he cried, eyes locking with Shadestar's. The old warrior met his gaze and was quiet for a moment before taking a small breath.

"Sunspirit," he meowed, "Silentshadow, I have never done enough for my clan, please, allow me to do this. None of this would have happened if I had been able to see clearly." He closed his eyes and dipped his head in regret, "It is often in the path we take to avoid our fate that we end up meeting it.

Sunspirit, I see great things in both you and Silentshadow, and I know that you can lead DarkClan to greatness. My path ends here, now remove yourself from my way and allow me to take care of something I should have done long ago."

With his final words, Shadestar's voice had become strong and powerful again and the sooty tom stepped past Sunspirit and stood before Willowstar.

Sunspirit had stepped back to the edge of the clearing to stand by Silentshadow once more.

Willowstar laughed as Shadestar stood proudly before him.

"You're a fool Shadestar! You always were, and now you're going to be destroyed for it!" Willowstar's teeth were gritted so tightly together that Sunspirit was sure his smile was going to crack at any moment.

Silentshadow couldn't take it anymore and she suddenly cried out into the clearing at Willowstar. "Why? Why do you hate Shadestar so much?! There are plenty more cats who have more reason to hate him than you do!"

"More reason than I?!" Willowstar sputtered. "Shadestar has to die and I'll tell you why: because he killed me. He killed Willowheart!"

Willowstar's voice was completely enraged and he seemed to have lost any sense of reason. Willowstar had unsheathed his claws and was now crouched across from Shadestar with anticipation gleaming in his eyes.

Shadestar remained completely calm, the only thing that could be seen in his eyes was pity. "Willowstar, I will not let you destroy my clan!"

By now Willowstar had broken into a bout of psychotic laughter.

"My family is more important to me than power, and I won't let you harm them!"

Willowstar was still laughing as Shadestar let out a furious yowl launched himself at the massive tom. Ina flash, Willowstar's eyes had darkened again and he laughed as he knocked Shadestar effortlessly to the side with his massive paw.

Shadestar scrambled to regain his balance from the blow and quickly spit out a trail of blood from his mouth.

Sunspirit and Silentshadow could only watch in horror as Willowstar knocked Shadestar around like a mouse. Yet the warrior always got back up, ready to take more. Across the clearing, Sunspirit could see the TreeClan warriors with content smirks on their faces.

Silentshadow and Sunstar's eyes widened as Willowstar lashed out at Shadestar, only this time he allowed his claws to dig into the tom's chest. Shadestar let out a hiss of pain and struggled to get out of Willowstar's grip.

Willowstar smirked at Shadestar's pathetic attempts to free himself. Silentshadow gasped in astonishment as Willowstar began to lift the older cat off the ground with his single paw. Shadestar cried out in pain at the claws now deeply embedded in his chest.

What happened next was something Sunstar would never forget.

Willowstar let out a psychotic laugh, and Shadestar suddenly began to scream in pain. Silentshadow had clenched her eyes tightly shut and backed away, she couldn't take it.

"You can never defeat me! I am the most powerful cat in the entire forest!"

Sunspirit himself couldn't bear to watch, but he didn't understand what was happening. Willowstar kept Shadestar off the ground, the tom's struggling eventually becoming weaker and weaker before his body suddenly became very limp.

Sunspirit could only watch in shock as Willowstar dropped Shadestar's lifeless body onto the ground. Blood coated his claws and he looked down at the dead cat with a triumphant smile before letting out another laugh and roughly kicking Shadestar's body one more time.

Silent tears now streaked down Silentshadow's face, while Sunspirit was experiencing a wide range of emotions. Mostly, he stared at his brother in shock.

Willowstar finally appeared to calm down and his eyes suddenly locked with his brother's. "A deal is a deal." he meowed.

"Let's go." Without another word the four TreeClan cats disappeared from the clearing, leaving Sunspirit and Silentshadow to stare in shock.

* * *

That was one of the most painful nights Sunspirit had to experience. The looks on his clanmates' faces when he came into camp carrying Shadestar's body tore through his heart. Silentshadow had relayed what happened to the other cats in tears.

Ivyfoot, Neoseeker, Blizzardpelt, and Cherrynose had all howled in grief and rage. It wasn't until Shadestar's body was laid in the center of camp that Sunspirit broke down.

He sat by Shadestar's side, hot tears streaming down his face and his eyes clenched tightly shut in pain. The golden tom's body shook lightly and he couldn't stop the tears from falling down.

It wasn't until a small sound from behind caught his attention, that the tom stopped in his grieving. Behind him stood a small white kit, his pelt spotted with numerous black flecks, the kit's eyes were wide and confused as they stared up at Sunspirit.

"Where's my daddy?" he mewed.

Sunspirit stepped forward, blocking Shadestar from the young kit's view, which only seemed to confuse the kit more.

"He's gone, and I'm afraid he won't be coming back." Sunspirit replied, sniffing in an attempt to get a hold of himself.

The kit perked up, his eyes becoming wide. "Where'd he go? I don't want him to leave."

Sunspirit held back the emotions building up inside him and stepped forward leading the kit back to the nursery.

It wasn't until the kit was tucked back inside his nest beside his sleeping brother that Sunspirit looked down at the kit with a measure of sympathy.

"Your dad was a hero."

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**If you ever played nd stfd you might get a ref in this chapter ;) Ill admit this one is crap Dx I tried and hey i did this instead of studying, so i hope i dont regret this later. xD Read and Review! Questions, Thoughts, Suspicions!**

**Shadestar v. Willowstar/ Shadestar's character greatly inspired by this song: Neville the Hero from harry potter and the deathly hallows 2 soundtrack**

**Lost Out**

**P.S Drew a new pic, it's on my tumblr if you're interested**


	15. Chapter 15: Understanding

Lostheart stretched her legs as she stepped out into the clearing, it was unusually cool this morning, the sudden change in temperature chilled her bones. It was quieter than usual as well, yet as far as she could tell, everyone was still in camp. It was a grim thought knowing that TreeClan could attack at any moment, but a part of her knew it wasn't the right time.

Willowstar wasn't stupid, and Lostheart could tell he was planning something. Whatever it was, it couldn't be good. TreeClan had nearly over twice their number of warriors, they were a force to be reckoned with and Lostheart knew if they wanted to have any chance of keeping them at bay, they would have to take matters into their own hands.

Not only that, but OceanClan and LightClan could also become an issue. Lostheart doubted Morningstar would try anything, the she-cat always preferred peaceful agreements, besides, it would be difficult for the LightClan cats to reach their territory. However, they still had to be wary of OceanClan. Brisingstar was known for being a fair cat, but with their weakness it would be easy for OceanClan to attack and reclaim their lost territory if they chose to.

Sunstar was completely out of it, they couldn't afford to rely on him anymore. She didn't know what was wrong with the golden tom, but he certainly wasn't making an effort to lead their clan. Thoughts of Sunstar left her feeling extremely frustrated.

It wasn't enough that he didn't care for her, that he betrayed her mother, and that he refused to acknowledge her existence. No, he had to dump all his responsibilities onto her shoulders, and leave her to deal with his problems.

She never wanted this! Leading and ordering people around wasn't her thing. Lostheart hated attention, in fact, she tried to avoid it. Yet Sunstar had carelessly tossed her under the spotlight.

Lostheart sighed and eyed the ground beneath her paws, she often wondered what her true purpose was. There had to be more for her than this...right?

Admittedly if it wasn't for Darkpelt, Lostheart didn't know how she would keep up with anything. The white tom was far better for the role of deputy than herself, despite his foul nature and temper, the male had no problem keeping things in line.

Lostheart had to resist the urge to shiver as a strong gust of wind blew into her as she stepped out of the warriors den, and the leaves ruffled violently in the trees. Greysight, Moonfur, Darkpelt, and Browneyes were all sitting in the clearing, apparently waiting for her.

Lostheart assumed Longtail, Sunstar, Mintpaw and Roseclaw were in their dens. She found it strange that Darkpelt hadn't sent out the patrols yet and padded up to the small group curiously.

The four cats sat in complete silence. Browneyes had his paws tucked under him and appeared to be trying to warm himself from the cold, while Darkpelt's face was adorned with his usual scowl.

Greysight's ear twitched upon her approach, and the black she-cat stood up before the rest, immediately sensing Lostheart's presence first. "We've been waiting for you." she meowed.

Inside, Lostheart felt a twinge of unease spread through her. "Why?"

Greysight opened her mouth to reply, but was cut off by Darkpelt as the large tom rose to his paws. "We've already run the dawn patrol, and we have enough fresh kill for the day. We just wanted to know if you require anything else from us."

Although his words sounded honest, it was clear from the look on Darkpelt's face that he didn't care, whether about the task or herself Lostheart wasn't certain.

"Well now that we're all here why don't we have a clan meeting?" Browneyes suggested from beside his brother. "It would be a good idea to have a discussion." The silver tabby was still lying down, but he had been listening to the conversation.

Lostheart thought it was a good idea, instinctively her eyes flickered toward the medicine cat den, Browneyes seemed to notice the sudden movement.

"Roseclaw is out with Mintpaw right now. She wanted to get some more catmint before it gets too cold for the plants to grow, I think Longtail's cough has gotten worse." he continued seriously.

Lostheart paid special attention to Greysight at his words, but the she-cat sat completely silent face devoid of any emotion. She was probably already aware of Longtail's condition anyway, but Lostheart couldn't help feeling sympathy for the she-cat.

"...Didn't you have a cough too Darkpelt?" Lostheart meowed, turning to the dark warrior.

Darkpelt blinked, seemingly caught off guard by the question, as did many of the cats. It was always strange to hear Lostheart talk, but it was even more surprising to hear her ask about such things.

Darkpelt's scowl immediately returned to his face and he snorted arrogantly, "I'm fine." Browneyes offered a weak smile, "It went away, luckily we were able to catch it in the early stages. Now all we have to do is make sure you don't catch it again." he meowed to his brother with an amused tone.

Darkpelt ignored him while Greysight only smirked at the two males. Moonfur had remained oddly quiet the entire time, the she-cat was sitting with them, but her mind appeared to be somewhere else.

Although it was left unsaid among the cats, they knew that Sunstar wouldn't be coming out to join or even hold a meeting anytime soon. "Not much else to report." Greysight meowed.

"I guess this means we've got some free time, huh?" the black she-cat mused. "I think I'll go train or something, anyone care to join me?"

Browneyes stood up and shrugged, then began to stretch out his long legs. "Sure. Darkpelt?"

Darkpelt snorted, "Someone actually has to stay and guard camp. TreeClan could be planning something at this very moment." he growled.

Greysight rolled her cloudy eyes and turned to Lostheart. Lostheart thought about it for a moment and nodded briefly, she could always go hunting after. Browneyes was slightly surprised to see Lostheart's reply, and the grey tom felt a slight anxiousness claw at his belly.

Greysight grinned, "Great, just meet me there." she meowed to the group before departing. After she left, Darkpelt immediately stalked away, not bothering to talk amongst the group any longer.

Browneyes let out a weak smile and walked away uncomfortably from the silence that hung over Lostheart and Moonfur. Lostheart figure she should go to the training hollow as well, but she made sure to stop on her way out of the camp.

"Moonfur?"

Lostheart's quiet, cold voice broke Moonfur from her thoughts, the pale she-cat looked up in surprise and blinked at Lostheart before standing to her paws.

"What?"

"We have some free time to train today, would you like to come?"

Moonfur looked uncertain for a moment , but shrugged. "Sure, I'm pretty bored anyway."

* * *

Moonfur and Lostheart walked in silence as they made their way under the shady trees to the training hollow. Moonfur walked quietly, lost in her thoughts as her eyes drifted around the dark forest and dying trees. They passed by the Dead Oak and Moonfur looked up into its curling braches with a curious expression.

"You know, I've never seen a forest like this before. Was it always like this?" Moonfur meowed suddenly, looking up into the canopy of the trees. Lostheart's eye slowly turned towards the pale she-cat, and she was quiet for a moment before responding.

A distant memory echoed in her mind.

_"Has it always been dead?" A young black she-cat meowed quietly as she stared up into the long, twisting branches of a large, dead oak._

_The gray tom beside he blinked his green eyes in surprise and smiled kindly, "Well, no. It must have been living at some point, but unfortunately it had already been long dead when I was young."_

It wasn't often that Lostheart thought of Ivyfoot, much like her mother, the memories only left her feeling hollow inside. She was sure Ivyfoot would have no problems managing the clan, he had always been an amazing leader. He was always there to keep up with Sunstar, and now that he was gone, it seemed like that was the last straw for the golden tom.

"Long ago, in the time of the ancient clans, it was supposedly a lush, beautiful forest." she replied.

Moonfur frowned slightly, "That's too bad." she meowed regretfully.

"I think it's still beautiful, in its own way. Blue Hole, the fields, and even the forest itself."

Moonfur was mildly surprised to hear Lostheart say such a thing, but she reminded herself that there was still a lot she didn't know about the she-cat. Moonfur hopped over a fallen branch and caught up to Lostheart again.

"Yes, I think that's what drew me here in the first place. What were the Ancient Clans like?"

Lostheart shrugged slightly, "Well, I can't say for sure. I mean-my mother used to tell me stories as a kit, all the clans are familiar with the legends."

Moonfur listened intently to Lostheart's words, but said nothing more as they padded into the training hollow where Browneyes and Greysight were already waiting for them. The two cats walked over to meet them, wasting no time.

Greysight smirked as she padded up to the pair, an obvious gesture towards Moonfur, who already had a scowl on her face.

"Think you can beat me this time?" she taunted.

Moonfur hissed in response, letting her tail bristle in irritation. "I can take you on any day!"

* * *

"You two are both idiots."

Greysight opened her mouth to retort, but hissed when Roseclaw pressed a wad of cobwebs onto her leg. "Really, it's like I'm the only one with any brains around here."

Greysight was able to roll her eyes as Roseclaw turned to her side and pressed the cobwebs onto one of Moonfur's scratches.

Roseclaw sighed in irritation. Greysight just had to go and start another fight. The two she-cats had sparred before, but this time it had quickly escalated into something more violent. Both she-cats had somehow come to unsheathe their claws and viciously attacked one another. Browneyes and Lostheart had intervened and were easily able to stop the fighting she-cats.

Roseclaw knew Greysight had a temper, but it surprised her that Moonfur had risen to her friend's bait. The pale she-cat didn't seem like the type to go off on somebody without a reason. What's more, the two she-cats avoided looking at each other and completely ignored the other's presence.

She knew Greysight was on edge with Longtail's sickness, but honestly she should know better. "Ow! Hey!" Moonfur hissed as Roseclaw pressed down a little harder than she had intended to.

Roseclaw ignored her and moved to put the cobwebs aside, then she turned to look at the she-cats with an annoyed glance. "Look, I'm going to go see Lostheart. Try not to rip each other's fur off when I'm gone, ok-and _no_ leaving. That means you Greysight."

Narrowing her blue eyes at her hot-tempered friend, Roseclaw backed out of the medicine cat den and set off to find her sister, leaving Moonfur and Greysight alone.

The den remained completely silent, and both she-cats sat with a sour expression on their face, each refusing to apologize to the other. Greysight listened curiously to the way Moonfur seemed to have deflated. The she-cat lay calmly still and appeared tired.

Greysight didn't know what was wrong with her, they had been fighting each other for training, throwing insults at one another as usual, when Moonfur suddenly went off on her.

Moonfur had made a comment about her blindness and Greysight had retorted by saying that loners and rogues were selfish cats who only cared for themselves. Greysight had been extremely surprised by Moonfur's sudden violent reaction and was caught off guard, allowing the she-cat to tackle her to the ground.

From there the two thrashed around in a whirl of claws and fury. They were lucky Browneyes and Lostheart intervened when they did, otherwise they could have seriously hurt each other.

Greysight slowly turned toward Moonfur, the she-cat had been very quiet. Greysight couldn't help feeling guilty, she didn't know her words would upset Moonfur so much.

It was a long moment of fighting with herself inwardly before Greysight finally sighed and turned toward Moonfur, catching the she-cat's attention.

"Look. I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean to upset you that much..."

Moonfur narrowed her separately colored eyes at Greysight and looked away, frowning. Greysight was quiet for a moment longer before continuing.

"You know, when I was a kit, I hated myself. I hated the fact that I was blind, and I was angry with StarClan..."

Moonfur's ear had twitched at the sound of Greysight's voice and she warily turned back to the she-cat, surprised by the sudden quiet tone of her voice. It was different from the way Greysight normally sounded.

"I tried so hard to get people to notice that I wasn't useless, and I wasn't just "the blind cat". I trained everyday by myself, while the other kits laughed at me and told me how pathetic I was. I spent my life working to get past my blindness, and I know that despite it, I have grown strong. I guess what I'm trying to say is, I of all cats know you shouldn't judge someone based on their appearance."

Moonfur was quiet, surprised by Greysight's unexpected openness. The she-cat had her own problems, and Moonfur knew Greysight wasn't to be blamed.

"...It's okay."

Greysight's ears perked at Moonfur's quiet response.

"I lost both my parents, I just-I miss them a lot." her eyes had fallen and her voice was barely more than a whisper. Greysight knew Moonfur had been alone, but she had thought the she-cat chose to be that way, she had no idea...

"...I'm sorry."

Moonfur turned away from Greysight and tucked her paws underneath her. Greysight chose not to press the she-cat any further. She had never really thought about the life of a loner, it must be hard always having to watch your back, never being able to stay in one place, and never having anyone to talk to...

Greysight might have felt bad for Moonfur, but that didn't mean she liked her. Greysight let out a small chuckle, "I hope Roseclaw lets us out of here sometime soon, I don't know if I can take staying in this rat hole with someone like you."

She heard Moonfur "hmph" in response, and grinned as the she-cat responded.

"Well if she doesn't, I call dibs on the mice."

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**:) We are progressing. What would you think about DarkClan becoming an animated series? **

**Lost Out**

**P.S. Leave Reviews telling your suspicions/thoughts/likes/dislikes of certain characters and why. I'm interested to see.**


	16. Chapter 16: The Prophecy

Browneyes quickened his pace as he and Darkpelt made their usual nightly rounds over the borders. Darkpelt was moving faster than usual today, it made Browneyes wonder if there was something on the white tom's mind.

The pair stopped at the edge of the river, staring into the darkness of TreeClan's forest beyond the field. Browneyes hung back as Darkpelt tasted the air and examined the area as usual. Instead, the silver tabby let himself become involved with the world around him.

It was a still night, and the crickets could be heard chirping lightly from the forest. Not a single stroke of wind hung in the air, he cocked his head upward to look at the stars of Silverpelt, who's light only appeared to shine brighter than usual.

It was hard to ignore the large pile of stone and debris that now curved down the side of the cliffs, a reminder of the battle of TreeClan. Browneyes tried not to think of the bodies that now lay buried beneath the earth. All the cats knew of Cherrynose's sacrifice, although they couldn't find her body, as it was long lost in the collapsed twoleg tunnels, they made sure to make a special monument for her in the burial place beside Ivyfoot's grave.

He sighed lightly as he eyed the hill, no one deserved to die. Browneyes's motion did not go unnoticed by Darkpelt, and the flecked tom turned back towards his brother.

Browneyes blinked in response and returned his brother's gaze. "Are you done already?"

Darkpelt made a curt nod. "Yes, if we hurry we'll be able to reach OceanClan before the moon is at its highest."

Browneyes let out a tired breath and stretched his long legs out in front of him. "Okay."

Darkpelt watched his brother for a moment longer before turning and continuing to pad on through the soft grasses, following the river's side. It flowed silently in the night, and perfectly reflected the night sky. If Browneyes didn't know any better, he would have said he was looking at the sky itself.

His attention turned to the cat in front of him, and Browneyes's eyes filled with concern. Darkpelt always closed himself off from the others, Browneyes wished he would just be happy, but the flecked tom was always so serious.

The two toms had grown up without a father, Browneyes didn't remember him much, but he knew who he was. Shadestar was known by many, and every DarkClan cat was familiar with the tale. He was the previous leader before Sunstar and a powerful warrior, he had sacrificed himself to protect them from TreeClan. The tom was known as a hero.

When they became apprentices, Sunstar had taken Darkpelt under his wing. The golden tom felt it was only right for him to be the one to train Shadestar's eldest son. Throughout his entire life, everyone had always expected so much from Darkpelt. He was the son of Shadestar and apprentice of Sunstar, normal good was never good enough.

Browneyes's eyes fell slightly as he watched his brother in front of him, his powerful shoulders moving briskly with each step. _'You don't have to prove anything.'_

Browneyes was quiet for a moment, but spoke up after the two passed the ravine.

"Darkpelt."

The white warrior twitched his tail in acknowledgement, "What?"

"You know...they're not so bad, the other cats."

Darkpelt didn't respond for a moment, but Browneyes could tell by from his form that he hadn't expected his words. Darkpelt finally snorted, continuing on with their patrol.

"I mean it. You should make more of an effort, everyone needs friends."

"I don't need any _friends._" Darkpelt sneered. "Whether or not cats like me isn't important, besides having personal connections only gets in the way. As long as orders are followed and boundaries are understood is all that matters.

"Besides, we're not even supposed to be interacting with Lostheart and you know it. Why Sunstar made her deputy, I'll never understand."

Very early in life, Blizzardpelt had warned them to stay away from the she-kit, it had been a decree by Sunstar to all the cats. Listening to their mother, the two had always stayed away from her. Although it was unknown exactly why, it was clear from the she-cat's appearance that something was wrong with her.

Browneyes sighed, it was no use trying to talk to his brother. Darkpelt always refused to listen to him, he was too caught up in his own thoughts.

* * *

Roseclaw had allowed Moonfur and Greysight to leave the medicine cat after staying the night, although the medicine cat still seemed pretty peeved.

Mintpaw, however, had been quite helpful and sweet. Greysight was happy to be able to enjoy more of her company, she never got to see her little sister enough.

Staying with Moonfur wasn't too bad, the she-cats seemed to have come to a silent understanding. She wasn't that bad really, in fact, Greysight enjoyed her company. Moonfur was an interesting she-cat, and Greysight found it fun to mess with her.

Greysight allowed herself a chuckle as she stepped into the elder's den, but the smile slowly lessened as she approached Longtail.

Longtail looked up smiled kindly at her approach, "Greysight." she meowed. Her voice was raspy and quiet, the coughing seemed to be taking its toll on her throat. Longtail let out a soft sigh.

"You don't need to come and visit your mother every day, I don't want to get you sick."

Greysight scoffed and sat down by her mother's side, "I'm fine."

Longtail smiled at her daughter's ever-present headstrong attitude. However, the Siamese was quickly overtaken by a bout of heavy coughs. Greysight could do nothing and only wait in concern until Longtail's breathing finally slowed.

Once she had regained her breath, Longtail met Greysight's concerned expression. "It's alright." she meowed. "Don't worry yourself over me, the clan has enough to worry about."

Longtail winced slightly as she readjusted herself and accidently bumped her injured leg. Greysight said nothing as she helped Longtail stand up and walk out of the elder's den, then together, the two shared a small vole.

* * *

Despite most of the clans beliefs, Sunstar was, in fact, planning on how to defeat his brother. It was all he ever thought about, the thoughts plagued him constantly. His anger was all he had left.

Willowstar had to be stopped if he was ever going to be able to live in peace, but it seemed impossible. TreeClan itself was almost twice their size, and that was the least of their problems.

Now that Leafbare was here, the amount of prey would fall dramatically, and there wasn't much to begin with. Not only that, but the frost would kill any herbs to treat illnesses that thrived during the winter. Longtail had already developed a bad cough, and it couldn't be long until more cats became ill as well.

Mosspelt's prophecy still sounded clearly in his head, a constant reminder of the troubles for Darkclan. It's true meaning was still unknown to Sunstar, but the darkness and sense of foreboding had been evident in Mosspelt's words.

_"A great darkness hangs over the forest. The very essence of evil and despair plagues the earth and fills the air with its foul stench. StarClan has spoken to me, and they have given me a prophecy: Brought upon by the lust for power, a deeply embedded grudge will lay waste to the clan. Until the blood of the cursed has been repaid, DarkClan will be forever left to waste away into nothingness. Until the harbinger of darkness is put to rest, DarkClan will forever suffer in a never-ending cycle of misfortune."_

Sunstar paced around his den in frustration, he was sure Mosspelt had been onto something, but now that the she-cat was gone he was back to where he started. He had already made the decision to fortify the walls of the camp with a thick barrier of thorns, it would be a difficult task, but he was sure his warriors could pull it off. They had to be ready.

Willowstar's power was undeniable, the massive tom was a skilled fighter. As a young cat, he had never showed much promise, yet somehow he had become strong. Sunstar himself was shocked by his brother's true strength the day they fought for the first time. Had he been hiding it all along? He couldn't believe Willowstar had beaten him that day, the thought still left a bitter taste in his mouth. Maybe if he had been able to stop him, this wouldn't be happening. Then Willowstar had beaten him to the title of a leader.

At first, Sunstar had been astonished that StarClan had accepted a cat like Willowstar to become leader. The tom had betrayed his own clan, and he wasn't even of TreeClan blood. Even if Willowstar had been selected the deputy, Sunstar still found it odd how quickly his brother had risen to power. What's more, the TreeClan cats' loyalty to him was highly disturbing.

He had often spoke to Mosspelt of his suspicions, and the medicine cat herself found it hard to believe Willowstar had been accepted by StarClan. His brother had to be lying about his name, it was impossible that he would be able to receive his nine lives.

The thought had eased Sunstar at first, if Willowstar only had a single life, then he would be easy to defeat if the time came. Sunstar shook his pelt in an effort to rid himself on the chilled sensation creeping through his fur.

He _had_ thought that, until that one day. When he watched Shadestar fight Willowstar, it became clear to him. At first, he denied it, refusing to believe such a thought, but the truth was undeniable. The day Willowstar fought Shadestar he, had taken his life. Or in a more literal sense, he had stolen it.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**DUNDUNDUN .Don't forget to review and leave any questions/thoughts you might have. And psshhh of course I changed it to "okay" I always try and fix up things you guys mention in your reviews, and I really love reading your thoughts. I don't remember if any of you remember this, but sometime at the very beginning of the series, I mentioned that this was originally just going to be like an animated series. I ende up writing it becasue I lack any animation talent. I've always dreamed of making it an animation, but unfortunately I guess it just wasn't meant to be. Even if I couldn't make an actual series, It would be cool to do certain scenes, or even just AMVs. BUTISUCK I try really hard just to draw things, and even then I'm never happy with them.**

**Lost Out**


	17. Chapter 17: Assassin

It was already late in the morning, but Sunstar remained in his nest, eyes bloodshot from a lack of sleep. He had been tossing and turning all night, unable to rid himself of the thoughts of Shadestar, Ivyfoot, Neoseeker, Cherrynose, and his brother.

Why hadn't StarClan contacted them?! Were they so doomed that even their ancestors had given up and left them to waste away into nothing?! Sunstar shook his head in frustration and rose from his nest, stumbling forward and shaking bits of grass from his pelt.

He had long mulled over what to do about Willowstar. The tom had vowed to destroy their clan, it seemed as if the prophecy was becoming more real by the days. However, Sunstar still didn't understand how Willowstar could do what he did. Was it by some divine mistake made by StarClan? The TreeClan leader's ability went against nature and the warrior code itself.

It wasn't surprising that TreeClan was so supportive of him, they must believe that he was a gift from StarClan, and that TreeClan will achieve glory with his ability. Surely such a clan would be undefeatable.

He growled irritably as the dim sunlight from outside blinded him as he stepped out of his den. After being in the dark for so long, he was unaccustomed to the light, or what little of it there was anyway. The camp was completely dead, no cats were in sight and an eerie silence hung over the forest.

Most of the warriors had been sent to construct the new thorn barrier around their camp after he ordered Darkpelt to make sure it was done. However right now he had other matters to deal with. Sunstar strode purposefully across the camp towards the tree tunnel where the medicine cat den sat in the corner of the camp.

The second the golden tom stuck his head into the den, Mintpaw; who was making what looked like small bundles of leaves; looked up in shock. Her large, jade eyes widened and a large smile stretched across her face.

"Sunstar!" she exclaimed, padding quickly forward in excitement. From deeper inside the stone den, Roseclaw's head stuck out from the herb stores and the she-cat blinked in surprise. After setting down what she was doing, Roseclaw stepped out to join Mintpaw in front of Sunstar.

"Sunstar, what can I do for you?" Roseclaw meowed curiously. The she-cat was shocked to see Sunstar out of his den, and visiting the medicine cat den no less. The tom looked very tired and worn out, Roseclaw felt sympathetic towards her foster father. She knew he must be having a tough time, perhaps that was why he came to see her, to get some herbs.

"I wanted to speak with you." he meowed impassively without any trace of emotion. From beside her, Roseclaw could see Mintpaw's face fall in disappointment.

Roseclaw nodded, "Come on in." and stepped aside so Sunstar could fully enter the medicine cat den. When the tom had sat down, Roseclaw decided to ask him what was troubling him.

"What is it?" she asked bluntly, although unintentionally. Roseclaw had a very outward personality, but the she-cat meant well, despite her occasional rudeness.

Sunstar's eyes narrowed slightly at her lack of respect, but chose to keep his thoughts to himself. "I need to know if StarClan has spoken to you, about anything. It is of the utmost importance." he meowed gravely.

His words seemed to catch the medicine cat's attention, and her bushy tail twitched uncomfortably. "No, StarClan has not spoken to me lately."

"Nothing? Are you sure, not even a sign?"

Roseclaw shook her head, causing her fur to bounce slightly. "No."

Sunstar's brow furrowed, and his tail twitched in frustration. "You and Mintpaw will go to the Moonstool to share dreams with StarClan. Leave as soon as possible, come report to me when you return. "

His mouth formed a thin line before he brushed by Mintpaw and out of the medicine cat den. Mintpaw's eyes followed Sunstar until he had vanished from their view completely. Roseclaw frowned, it was a long trip to the Moonstool, she knew Sunstar was anxious, but she also knew that even if she did go, nothing would happen.

Mintpaw turned toward her mentor with a crestfallen expression. Roseclaw smiled and tapped her lightly on the shoulder with the tip of her tail, catching the young apprentice's attention. Mintpaw brightened up easily and returned her smile.

She turned back towards the entrance, looking off into the direction Sunstar had gone. "Why did he want to know about your dreams? Is it because of TreeClan?"

Roseclaw shrugged and padded back to the herb store with Mintpaw at her heels. "Probably."

"Why hasn't StarClan said anything? Aren't they supposed to help us?" Mintpaw questioned in an accusing tone.

Roseclaw shook her head, "StarClan will always be there to guide us, but we can't rely on them to solve our problems. Their time has passed, it is the responsibility of the new cats of DarkClan to take care of things now." Despite her words, Roseclaw couldn't help feeling guilty. She felt completely useless.

"Maybe I'll get a dream! I have before, remember? When I became an apprentice!" Mintpaw exclaimed excitedly. Roseclaw purred in amusement and flicked Mintpaw with her tail, "Maybe. We'll see when we go to the Moonstool."

_'I wish you would. Now is the time we need their guidance the most.'_

* * *

Greysight lightly touched noses with Mintpaw before turning to Roseclaw and giving her a gentle shove on the shoulder.

"Stay out of trouble, fuzzbutt."

Lostheart, Darkpelt, Browneyes, and Moonfur stood with them as well while Roseclaw and Mintpaw prepared to depart for the Moonstool. It was clear that Darkpelt wasn't too happy with the decision, but it_ was_ an order from Sunstar.

Lostheart watched the exchange silently from behind. _'Is it really a good idea to send both our medicine cats out of camp? They're not even taking a warrior to escort them...'_

Lostheart was broken from her musings when Roseclaw made it a point to smile at her before turning with Mintpaw and padding out into the darkness of the tree tunnel. Sunstar had sprung the journey on them rather quickly, and refused to let any of the warriors accompany them.

It was unlikely LightClan would do anything to them, but there was still the chance of a fox attack. _'Maybe I'm worrying too much.'_

After Roseclaw and Mintpaw had gone, Greysight turned to face the cats with a grin that deeply contrasted with her blank eyes. "I hope everyone already took care of any thorns in their pads."

Moonfur rolled her eyes at the comment, all the warriors had spent the day constructing Sunstar's new thorn barrier. After much difficulty and several cuts, they had successfully surrounded their camp with thick walls of thorny vines. They were lucky that thorns were so easy to come by in their territory.

By now, the sun was slowly beginning to disappear behind the trees of the forest, and the cats were beginning to make their way towards their dens. Greysight was stopped when Darkpelt stopped in front of her, blocking her entrance into the warriors den.

She immediately growled at the sudden action, "Hey, what's your problem?!"

Darkpelt narrowed his eyes, but otherwise remained calm as he replied. "It's your turn to do the moonlight patrol tonight, or did you forget?"

Greysight snorted in an attempt to hide her embarrassment, "Yeah yeah, I know. I was just going to bring Browneyes with me." she lied.

Darkpelt remained unfazed, "No, you can handle it by yourself. Stop wasting time."

"Alright! I'm going, geeze."

Greysight let out an aggravated breath as she stalked away from the flecked tom and towards the tree tunnel. She didn't have any problem doing moonlight patrols, she just didn't like giving Darkpelt the satisfaction of bullying her around.

The forest was eerily quiet during the night, save for the light sound of crickets chirping amongst the brush. Their territory was naturally very dark because of the trees' thick canopies, but at night it was even more so. It was enough to put any cat on edge.

However, it had never bothered Greysight, darkness was all she had ever known. Padding through the forest, she allowed herself to focus on the world around her. The area was completely still, not a single movement was felt beyond her own pawsteps as they rebounded off the trees and objects around her.

The TreeClan border was always the first to be checked, which was why she was now making her way past Blue Hole and towards the fields. However, something made her stop.

Greysight's ear twitched and she turned slightly, pausing to focus on her surroundings. A small breeze ruffled the trees and bushes around her, causing Greysight to frown slightly. She felt a slight chill ruffle her fur before padding forward.

_'Something feels...off.'_

Greysight was moving around a large bush when she heard it, a sound too light for any normal cat to hear, but audible to her because of her heightened senses. The slight creak of a branch.

Greysight only had seconds to leap away as an unknown figure leapt down from the trees in attack. Her attacker growled at having missed their target and immediately flashed towards her. Greysight's eyes narrowed, she could tell by their movements that this cat was very well trained.

All of their movements were fluid and precise, and instead of attacking her head on, the cat leapt over her head and attacked from behind. Greysight knew she didn't have time to turn, so she kicked out with her back legs, turning in mid-air as her paws connected with her target.

The cat grunted as they lost their balance. Seeing her opening, Greysight attacked. She leapt onto the figure, slamming them onto the ground and biting furiously into their neck. Sharp claws tore at her sides and face, but she refused to release her attacker. This cat had snuck onto their territory, and now they needed to be taught a lesson!

After struggling for several seconds, the cat suddenly slipped away from her grasp and staggered away from Greysight, breathing heavily as blood dripped from the newly formed scratches on their body. Now that they were at a distance, Greysight tried to identify the cat, but they had masked their scent and she wasn't close enough to figure it out.

Letting out a furious screech, Greysight attacked the intruder in anger. _'Who dares try and attack me!' _The cat slipped through her paws, curving and balancing themself with practiced agility. Greysight had never fought a cat like this before.

Hissing furiously at the intruder who had the audacity to try and sneak attack her, Greysight leapt onto them. Her heart beat furiously in her chest and she could the energy from her rage building up inside her.

Underneath her, the lithe cat bit down into one of her hind legs and yanked strongly in an attempt to pull her off. Greysight was able to hang on, and with each pull, she dug her claws in tighter. Letting out a howl of rage the cat suddenly leapt upward and came crashing down backwards onto the earth, crushing Greysight under their weight.

As soon as she was down, the cat stood above her, digging their claws into her chest, but it wasn't for long because Greysight had predicted their movement and kept her back legs ready for attack. She raked at the cat's belly, causing them to flinch and lighten their grip. As they did so, Greysight was able to kick them in the face and slip away from their sharp claws.

The mysterious cat lashed back out at Greysight, missing her neck as she stepped back just in time to avoid their outstretched claws. '_That was a kill move!'_, this cat was seriously trying to kill her! Greysight retaliated by balancing on her front paws and sweeping her hind legs underneath her opponents.

The cat tried to dodge her maneuver, but fell over in vain as his paws became tangled with her own. Once fallen, Greysight leapt onto the cat in fury, pinning them to the ground and slicing her claws across their neck. Blood spattered the ground and the cat choked out a small growl.

Their body writhed for a moment, but quickly became still. Once she was sure the cat was dead, Greysight allowed herself to step back and take a deep breath in an attempt to calm her pounding heart.

She spat the rancid taste of blood from her mouth, and breathed heavily in an effort to calm herself. Greysight had killed before, but it had never been intentional. The cats she fought with died from their wounds, but she had never tried to take their lives. It was strange though, because although she knew it was a horrible thing, she couldn't find it inside of her to feel bad about it.

_'This cat tried to kill me.' _Greysight growled to herself. She padded forward without hesitation toward the unknown cat's body. The cat's body lay completely still, and the scent of blood lay accompanied by a strange scent Greysight had never smelled before.

_'This must be the scent of whatever it is they used to conceal themself.' _Greysight realized.

Now that she was up close to the cat, and they were no longer attacking her, it wasn't hard for her to pin an identity on to her attacker. Although strange, the scent was not altogether unfamiliar. She had scented this cat before, even though at the time it had been from a distance.

The feeling of their lanky form and build was undeniable, and Greysight realized that she had just killed the TreeClan deputy.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**I debated on adding the next chapter onto this one, but I decided I'll let you guys have this now. :P I've been thinking of drawing lately, but I'm not sure what. Which reminds me, I got a tumblr question I thought I should adress on here. They asked if they could draw pictures of some of my characters. Feel free, honestly it surprises me that you like the stroy enough to want to do such a thing, but I'd really enjoy seeming them! As long as I get credit of course, same with any other referral you want to make to the story. I think it'd be really cool! So if any of you guys are artsy and want to draw some pics id love to see em'.**

**Lost Out**


	18. Chapter 18: Wind

"It's him all right. Dead."

Darkpelt stood back up from where he was crouched beside the body of Fallenstep and stepped back, turning to face the other cats with a stern expression.

Sunstar frowned and approached the body, staring down at the lanky black tom, Fallenstep's pelt was always known for it's luster, but now all that could be seen was the stain of blood.

Mintpaw gasped as the words left Darkpelt's mouth and she stepped closer to Roseclaw, pressing against the medicine cat's side. Her eyes were wide with fear and a small wail escaped from her mouth. Roseclaw bent down to touch the tip of her nose to her apprentice's head in sympathy.

The clan had been sleeping when Greysight had suddenly ran into the warriors den, shouting at everyone to wake up. The cats were shocked to see her disheveled form and the blood coating her fur. Darkpelt had been quick to get Sunstar, the golden tom demanded an explanation.

After Greysight had relayed what happened as quickly as she could, Sunstar had ordered all cats to get up and follow Greysight into the woods. Which was now why the entire clan was crowded around the dark trees.

Greysight stood to the side behind Fallenstep's body, trying to ignore the gazes of her clanmates that she could feel on her pelt. Mintpaw's gasp tore at her heart, making her feel instantly guilty, her paws stained with Fallenstep's blood.

Sunstar was silent for a moment as he looked over Fallenstep's body, then turned to Greysight with a serious expression. "...You killed him." he stated.

Greysight could feel her clanmates' gazes all turning towards her. Lostheart herself had been surprised to hear the news, but had come out nonetheless. Sure enough, the body of the TreeClan deputy was clear as day.

Her eyes slowly rolled over to Greysight, as did many of the cats. A small sniff from her side distracted Lostheart, and she turned to see Mintpaw pressed against Roseclaw. A light trail of tears fell from the young she-cat's eyes.

Lostheart blinked and looked back at the body. Fallenstep's eyes were opened wide and remained dull and lifeless, still possessing their yellow sheen. The tom's neck had been quite literally torn apart. It was a gruesome sight.

Her eyes returned to Greysight, whose teeth were now gritted and dull eyes flashed in the moonlight. "He attacked me!" she protested.

"I was out on patrol and he tried to ambush me from the trees! That cat tried to kill me!"

Sunstar appeared to be deep in thought, "Yes. One can only wonder why he was in our territory in the first place." he meowed suspiciously with narrowed eyes.

"What do we do now?" Browneyes cut in, stepping forward. "It's only right we take his body back to TreeClan-"

"Idiot! If we do that we'll be sitting ducks!" Longtail snapped. "Walking into that camp would be like walking into a death trap!"

Browneyes flinched a little at the siamese's harsh words, but didn't make an effort to argue with her.

"She's right."

All eyes turned to Sunstar as his deep voice cut through the silence, "It's too risky. Besides, I have a feeling Fallenstep was sent here for a reason, and I wouldn't put it above Willowstar to try and take advantage of this."

The cats nodded in silent agreement while Roseclaw's soft voice piped up from behind. "What about the body, Sunstar?"

The golden tom snorted and turned away from the group of cats, "Darkpelt, you take care of it." With his final words, Sunstar stepped into the forest, his shadowy form disappearing completely into the night.

Moonfur and Lostheart had both remained silent during the cats' exchange, each appearing to be deep in their own thoughts.

Many of the cats began to depart in different directions. Roseclaw helped Longtail on their way back with Mintpaw by their side. The young she-cat still appeared to be shaken, but she felt better being with her mother. Browneyes gave his brother a sympathetic look before he too departed into the brush.

The flecked warrior snorted and turned back to Fallenstep's mangled body, Greysight certainly hadn't been kind. Now he just needed to figure out what to do with it.

* * *

Unlike most of the cats, two warriors did not immediately return to camp. Lostheart, instead of returning to camp, had headed in the direction of the fields. The black she-cat ran swiftly through the tall, swaying grasses despite the cold chill that ruffled her fur.

She slowed to a stop as she reached her destination, regaining her breath as she padded forward up to the small tree in front of her.

Her face fell at all the blossoms that now lay scattered across the ground, she sat down at the base of the tree and let out a sigh. Allowing herself to relax against it's trunk, looking up at the field of stars above.

After everything that had happened, Lostheart didn't want to return to camp, there was so much stuck in her head. She just needed to be alone.

It was easy to think here, in her spot-her mother's special spot. Everything seemed so bleak right now. _'Greysight was attacked...' _she noted mentally.

_'What could happen next?' _Every day felt like a struggle. Never enough food, never enough warriors, never safe from the threat of TreeClan.

They couldn't keep this a secret, TreeClan would have to find out eventually. Once Fallenstep's absence became known, it wouldn't take long for them to start accusing DarkClan ._'I bet that's what he wants. It'd be a win-win situation. Willowstar sends Fallenstep into DarkClan to take care of Greysight and leaves DarkClan even weaker, or Fallenstep is killed and TreeClan now has something to hold against DarkClan.'_

Now that she thought about it, it was a very accurate possibility. Greysight was known among the other clans as one of DarkClan's strongest warriors, a blind she-cat with deadly skill and a temper to match. It wouldn't be hard for Willowstar to have manipulated the blind she-cat into following his plans without her even realizing it.

_'I just hope I'm wrong.'_

* * *

Greysight stood alone in the training hollow, claws digging into the ground. It killed her, to see Mintpaw like that. She was terrified, and Greysight had been the cause.

Greysight let out a frustrated growl and tore at the fallen log, tearing off a large chunk of bark in the process. She had let her anger get the better of her again. _'I killed him..'_

Greysight tried to ignore the thought, but it burned deeply in her mind. It was strange, it was just like before when she got in a fight with a TreeClan patrol. She became so angry, she could feel it in the back of her mind, telling her to attack.

_'He deserved it.' _she told herself. _'I did was right for my clan, he was the wrong one.'_

She wondered why Fallenstep was even there in the first place. Either he was trespassing of his own free will, or he was sent into the territory. _'Why attack me?'_

Was TreeClan trying to weaken their clan by getting rid of the warriors, and why her? It was true she was one of DarkClan's most powerful warriors, but she didn't think she was _that _much of a threat to other clans.

In the back of her mind, Greysight wondered if she had simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time. _'Maybe I was just the lucky one.' _she thought sarcastically.

Fallenstep hadn't hurt her too badly, she only had a few scratches here and there. Despite the tom's agility, Greysight was still able to read his movements, perhaps even better than with other cats.

Greysight was relaxed now, and stood in the clearing with a troubled expression. She allowed herself to sigh as she felt the breeze ruffle her fur. Nearby, a the sound of a crow cawing in the trees made her jump slightly, making her glare into the direction the noise had come from.

She had spent enough time out here she decided and turned in the direction of the camp. _'I still want to see Mintpaw, and Mom.'_

It was likely that the two were already asleep in their nests, but she might be able to catch Roseclaw. Greysight shouldered past a leafy bush and curved to avoid a sharp stone.

The wind blew again, ruffling the leaves of the trees. As the wind blew, Greysight had to stop, eyes widening slightly before shaking her pelt and continuing forward. _'Strange. I'm all alone, but I could've sworn I just heard someone calling my name.'_ It was almost like a whisper, tickling lightly in her ear.

_'The wind must be playing tricks on me.'_

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**Another chapter. I've had the poll on my profile up for a while now, Lostheart seems to be the majority right now. But I want you guys to explain why you voted for who you voted :) Whats your reasoning, thoughts, or proof? Leave in reviews. And if you haven't done the poll, go take a look. OHYEAH there is also a HUGE derp in this chapter, I won't say what it is, but if anyone notices xP lemme know. **

**Lost Out**

**P.S A while back during Shadows of the Heart, someone made a comment about the song "Fix You" for Lostpaw and Ivyfoot. Now its all I think about when i hear that song :3 It does fit very well. I've just been thinking about it lately.**

**Random Review Replies:**

**Sunstar is Mintpaw's father, yes.**

**Hmm Idk, My Longtail is cream, but she's a siamese so :P**


	19. Chapter 19: New Development

_Drip._

Greysight's eyes snapped open, revealing a harsh new light that made her recoil. Slowly, the white fuzziness in her vision began to clear and the starry forest surrounding her was revealed.

_'I'm here again.'_

However, it was different this time because unlike before, she stood alone. There was no sign of Mosspelt or any other starry cat. She padded forward hesitantly, it always took her a little while to get used to the idea of seeing again.

"Mosspelt?" she questioned, but no reply sounded to her voice and the forest was swallowed by silence.

_Drip._

Greysight's ear twitched at the familiar sound, and she began to pad deeper into the trees, heading in the same direction that she had last time she was here. Just like before, she found herself in front of what appeared to be Blue Hole. The surface of the water here was not like the one she heard of in DarkClan, known for it's vivid blue color. Instead, the pool perfectly reflected the sky above, making it appear that a piece of the night had fallen.

Sighing lightly, she sat down by the water's side.

"Peaceful isn't it? It's hard to believe DarkClan was ever like this in the past."

"Mosspelt!" Greysight's head whipped to the side to see that Mosspelt had appeared beside her. The gray she-cat's eye rolled over to Greysight with a half smile on her face.

"Hello, Greysight."

Greysight blinked at Mosspelt's ever calm demeanor. "You haven't been listening to me, I worry about your safety."

Greysight scowled a bit, but her face fell as she remembered the more recent events. Mosspelt seemed to notice her change in expression.

"It is not good for a cat to be able to kill so easily."

Greysight flinched at her words, and her ears fell back slightly as she shifted her paws, looking away into the pool. "Fallenstep...is he-"

"Fallenstep does not walk the realm of StarClan." Mosspelt cut in smoothly, returning her gaze to the pool in front of them. A brief silence settled between the two before Mosspelt spoke up again.

"Much has happened since we last spoke. I understand that DarkClan has taken in an outsider."

Thoughts of Moonfur immediately flashed in Greysight's mind, and she nodded briskly. "Yes. The code doesn't say anything about it." she defended.

Mosspelt gave a conceding nod, "True, but you need to be careful where you place your trust. Cats outside of the clans are very different from the cats you know."

Greysight opened her mouth to retort, but was cut off by Mosspelt once more. "I had the pleasure of meeting Mintpaw, she is a fine young apprentice." Mosspelt purred.

Greysight returned her gaze to the pool and a fond smile broke out across her face. "I know."

Mintpaw had been doing very well in her training, and Greysight couldn't be more proud of her. Slowly, the smile dropped from her face as memories of Mintpaw's horror filled her mind. The slight touch of a tail on her shoulder made her look back up.

Mosspelt watched her with a soft expression, "Do not worry, Mintpaw loves you very much, she told me so herself. Greysight, I need you to watch over the clan and protect them. Both from the dangers outside, and those within."

* * *

Greysight hummed lightly as she stretched her legs, and ruffled her fur after having been asleep for so long. A dull light had already begun to shine into the warriors den from the outside, and she could feel it's rays warming her pelt.

She had to go on the dawn patrol today, but first she wanted to see her sister. Greysight padded across the clearing, not bothering to grab any breakfast because she knew there was no fresh kill in the camp. If there was, she would have scented it.

She poked her head into the medicine cat den, pleased when she scented Mintpaw inside. The young she-cat was sitting in her nest while Roseclaw was explaining something to her and gesturing towards a pile of grasses and leaves.

The white she-cat stopped when she noticed Greysight in the entrance of the den, Mintpaw followed her gaze. "Hey Greysight." Roseclaw greeted warmly, "I'm assuming you're here to see Mintpaw. It's not like you ever come to see me anymore." she meowed with fake hurt.

Greysight laughed and padded up to the pair of cats, twitching her whiskers in amusement. "Why would I want to see you?"

Roseclaw gave Greysight a deadpan look, and although she couldn't see her face, Greysight laughed at the picture in her mind. "Alright, but make it quick. We're in the middle of a lesson, and we have a lot to do today. Speaking of which, aren't you supposed to be on dawn patrol?"

Greysight nodded briefly, "Yeah, I just wanted to stop by first. Which reminds me, have you seen Lostheart? She's supposed to come with us."

Roseclaw shrugged, "I haven't seen her, but you two better get on it before Darkpelt becomes impatient."

The blind she-cat snorted and rolled her eyes, "Oh, let him. It's not like we're hurting anybody."

She turned toward Mintpaw, who was now smiling happily up at her sister's dark form. "Mintpaw, are you okay? Yesterday, you seemed really afraid..."

Mintpaw blinked her large viridian eyes, "I'm okay now." she meowed in a half smile. "It just scared me a little, the blood."

Greysight realized that Mintpaw hadn't been afraid of her at all, but at Fallenstep's body. However, she still felt responsible. After all, she had been the one to do it. Mintpaw seemed to notice the concerned expression on Greysight's faced and reached forward to rub her face against Greysight's side.

"I'm fine, see." she mewed, smiling happily.

Greysight sighed, but allowed a small smile to cross her features before gently pressing the tip of her muzzle to the top of Mintpaw's head.

"Alright." she conceded, "I'll come see you again later, okay? Make sure you pay attention in your lessons."

Mintpaw nodded adamantly as Greysight rose to her paws again, "I will!" she promised.

Greysight laughed lightly at her sister's enthusiasm. _'I wonder if I was ever like that as an apprentice. Probably not.' _Greysight thought bitterly. As an apprentice she had never been truly happy, always too caught up in trying to prove herself and training to be the best warrior she could be. She had been angry with the world.

Greysight padded out of the den feeling more serious than she had before. She immediately felt around the camp for Lostheart, but couldn't find the strange black she-cat anywhere in camp. Her scent was faint as well.

However, as she stepped forward, she detected the sound of a cat padding through the tree tunnel, and wasn't surprised when Lostheart's scent reached her nose. Greysight padded up to the camp entrance and stopped as Lostheart stepped through, pausing when she noticed Greysight in her path.

"Greysight." she meowed dully, "What is it?"

Greysight shifted her weight to one side, "You and I are supposed to go on dawn patrol with Darkpelt today, but-"

"There you are!" The sound of Darkpelt's deep growl caught the two black she-cats' attention and they turned to see Darkpelt stalking towards them with an irritated expression. "I've been trying to find you two for over fifteen minutes!"

Greysight let out an annoyed breath, "Yeah well we're here now, so let's just go already." she growled, padding into the tunnel. Darkpelt's eyes narrowed, but he didn't bother to reply and followed her into the forest with Lostheart hanging back silently by his side.

The three warrior padded silently through the dark forest, fully attentive for any signs of intruders. The silence was eventually broken when Greysight decided to speak up.

"What did you do with Fallenstep?" she asked Darkpelt quietly and without emotion. The flecked tom glanced at her briefly, but continued walking.

"In the fields, with the rest of them."

* * *

Lostheart could tell that Greysight was feeling bothered by Fallentstep's attack. Despite how the she-cat was trying to hide it, Lostheart was good at reading cats.

She remained silent as they continued their patrol, stepping around a large bunch of brambles and heading toward the OceanClan border. Lostheart kept a close eye on both Darkpelt and Greysight, observing their every movement.

She watched curiously as Greysight's ear twitched and her face contorted into rage.

"What is it Greysight?"

Darkpelt turned at the sound of Lostheart's voice and began looking at Greysight with curiosity as well. "Its OceanClan!" she hissed. "They're in our territory!"

"What!?" Darkpelt growled, stepping closer, "Where are they!?" he demanded.

Greysight's eyes slid closed for a second, but quickly snapped back open. "Follow me!" The blind she-cat bolted forward, quickly followed by both Lostheart and Darkpelt. The three cats stopped abruptly behind a large bush that lay at the edge of their beach territory.

Lostheart's strange eyes peered through the cluster of leaves, and sure enough there was a large group of OceanClan warriors hanging around on their territory. A low growl emitted from her side where Greysight was flexing her claws in the earth, "I'll make them pay."

As she began to rise to her paws, Lostheart raised her tail to stop her. "Wait."

Greysight blinked, but stepped back.

"I don't think we should attack, it almost seems like they're waiting for us."

Darkpelt considered the black she-cat's words and turned back to the five OceanClan warriors lying in the sand.

"You may be right." he growled.

"So what do we do?" Greysight asked impatiently.

Lostheart thought about it for a moment, her calculating red gaze locked onto the group. "We simply walk up to them, it is our territory after all."

She stood up and waited as the other two warriors did the same, both Darkpelt and Greysight didn't seem too thrilled with the idea, but neither cats argued with her. Darkpelt because of her rank and Greysight because of the respect she had for the strange-eyed she-cat.

"Let's go."

Lostheart padded around the bush and led the cats down the small sandy slope that led into their beach territory. The OceanClan warriors immediately perked up at the sight of the DarkClan warriors, making Lostheart realize that Hawkmask, the OceanClan deputy, was amongst them.

The OceanClan cats glanced at each other with wary expressions at the sight of the three DarkClan cats who decided to show up. Darkpelt was well known throughout the clans for his incredible strength, and Greysight for ferocity and evasiveness.

What really concerned them was the cat at the head of the group, the demon cat of DarkClan, Lostheart. Despite the fact that she was the only one not glaring hatefully at the cats, it was her gaze that bothered them the most. They had heard about what she could do, and the tales that followed her.

Hawkmask stepped to the front of the group as the DarkClan cats grew closer, stopping a few feet away from them.

"Why are you on our territory?" Lostheart's questioned. Her cold, emotionless voice chilling the air.

Hawkmask cleared her throat and stood up straighter, "OceanClan has decided to reclaim what is rightfully ours and take back the piece of territory you stole from us."

Lostheart had been expecting something like this to happen, from beside her she could feel Darkpelt and Greysight tense up, both preparing for battle.

"We ask that you will hand over the territory, Brisingstar does not wish to fight you."

_'We can't fight OceanClan right now, hostilities with TreeClan are bad enough. If a fight did break out we might be able to hold them off, but the odds are not in our favor.' _Lostheart was sure that, despite OceanClan's advantage in numbers, she, Darkpelt, and Greysight could easily manage to hold off the patrol. If reinforcements were sent, then she wasn't so sure, even with the rest of their clanmates._ 'It's a only a small bit of beach territory, and has no use in hunting. It wouldn't be that much of a loss, and we'd be avoiding harming ourselves any further...'_

Greysight and Darkpelt were both looking to Lostheart, waiting for the she-cat's response. After a few seconds of silence Lostheart finally spoke up again.

"You may have your territory."

The shock on both the Oceanclan and the Darkclan cats' faces was evident. Hawkmask herself seemed surprised, but the she-cat quickly blinked ad dipped her head. "I'm glad you understand." she meowed, still put off by how simple the exchange had gone.

"You can set up your new scent markers, make sure they're up by tomorrow so there isn't any confusion." Lostheart replied impassively before turning and heading back up the slope. Darkpelt and Greysight both appeared to be dumbfounded, but quickly followed after her.

As they reached the shade of the trees, Darkpelt finally rounded on her. "What did you just do!?" he growled. "You can't just go giving off bits of our territory!"

"It's for the best." Lostheart replied, stepping past him. She knew Sunstar would not be pleased with her, he seldom was anyway.

Darkpelt chose to stay in the back, glaring at the pair of she-cats and brooding silently. Greysight walked beside Lostheart, staring blankly ahead.

"I think we could have taken them." she stated simply.

"Probably." Lostheart agreed.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**GAHHH, I'm sorry it's taken so long. I hate updating late. The longer you go without writing, the harder it is to get back into it. XL ADkfbskafbs. And I know because I keep getting out of it. FFFFF **

**Lost Out.**


	20. Chapter 20: A Tale of Two Toms

"You did _what?"_

Sunstar stood in front of Lostheart, Greysight, and Darkpelt and looked down on them with dark eyes.

"Yes. I think it's our best option right now, and I doubt you'd want to get into a quarrel with Brisingstar. The land they took is just a sandy patch of beach, and it has no use for us when it comes to finding prey or herbs." Replied Lostheart, meeting Sunstar's gaze evenly without blinking.

Greysight and Darkpelt stood to either side of her, but both remained silent. Not wanting to interfere in the conversation between the deputy and leader.

Sunstar's eyes narrowed slightly and his gaze shifted so that he was focusing on Lostheart in particular. "What makes you think that you have the authority to make such a decision without my consent?" he growled.

"I only did what I thought would be best, you're the one who made me deputy." The end of her statement came out colder than she had intended, but she refused to back down from Sunstar's hard gaze.

The leader watched her silently for a moment with dark eyes, almost as if he was examining her, or trying to figure out what she was planning.

"Fine." he growled, "I would have done that anyway." Sunstar's tail twitched in irritation as he turned and retreated back into the shade of his den. As soon as Sunstar had left, Lostheart stalked away leaving Greysight and Darkpelt in front of the leader's den.

The blind warrior turned and listened as Lostheart padded away, and her face fell into a light frown. Beside her, Darkpelt had already left, walking over to meet his brother on the other side of the clearing where Browneyes had been waiting for him with two fresh mice.

Moonfur sat with Roseclaw and Mintpaw, and Greysight could vaguely hear the pale she-cat arguing with Roseclaw over something, but she tuned them out. Instead, she quickly padded forward to catch up with Lostheart.

The black she-cat had only gotten a little ways past the tree tunnel when she detected someone following her. She caught wind of Greysight's scent and wasn't surprised to see the blind she-cat come jogging up to her from behind.

"Hey," she meowed, "Are you alright?"

Lostheart looked at her almost quizzically, "I'm fine." she meowed blandly.

Greysight smiled outwardly, "Good. Where are you going?" she meowed curiously. "It seems like you're always going off somewhere."

Lostheart turned away from Greysight and was silent for a moment. "I like to be alone."

Greysight conceded with a slight nod, "Yeah, me too." Her response caused Lostheart to look back over her shoulder, her odd blue eye watching Greysight with a mixed expression.

"I've actually been meaning to talk to you, you know, just hang out."

Greysight smiled despite her cloudy blank gaze, "Browneyes and Moonfur went hunting and they managed to catch a rabbit, I don't know about you, but I didn't eat this morning and I'm starving. You wanna share it?"

Lostheart was hesitant for a moment, but eventually let out a small breath. "Sure."

"Great! Come on, we can sit with Roseclaw and Moonfur."

* * *

"Yo fluffy! Got room for two more?"

Roseclaw's looked up in surprise at the sound of Greysight's loud voice and saw the she-cat padding across the clearing with Lostheart close by. Moonfur had looked up as well, watching as the pair approached.

Greysight flopped down as she reached the other she-cats, while Lostheart sat down quietly beside her. Greysight's head turned back and forth, as if she was searching for something.

"Where'd Mintpaw go?" she meowed curiously

"She went to see Longtail and give her some herbs. The cough seems to be getting worse." Roseclaw replied tentatively, knowing that Greysight could get touchy about the subject, but the black she-cat only nodded quietly without a word.

"Here's your rabbit." Roseclaw meowed, pushing over the furry, brown creature.

"Thanks." Greysight replied, pulling it between her and Lostheart so they could split it.

"I heard about the OceanClan thing," Moonfur began, "I don't see how it's a big deal, it's not like you guys had the territory to begin with." she meowed, shrugging.

Roseclaw flicked her with the tip of her fluffy, white tail. "Hey, you weren't even here then."

Moonfur scoffed and rolled her separately colored eyes, "I listen." she meowed.

"Sometimes." Greysight cut in, smirking to herself. Moonfur snorted and ignored her, instead choosing to lick at one of her outstretched paws.

Lostheart and Greysight took turns taking bites out of the rabbit, while Roseclaw hummed to herself.

"That was good." Greysight meowed contentedly, "Not as good as a blackbird, but good."

"I don't see how you like those, the meat is too stringy for me." Roseclaw sniffed. "Mice are the best, nice and juicy."

Greysight smiled at the memory of when she and Roseclaw first met, when the white she-cat had attempted to steal her mouse from her as a kit.

"I prefer rabbit personally." Moonfur cut in.

Lostheart had been sitting in silence, listening to the other cats' conversation, but was surprised when Greysight turned to her.

"What about you Lostheart?"

Lostheart blinked, _'What kind of prey do I like?'_

"I don't mind." she meowed sincerely. In all honesty, she had no idea which she preferred. In fact, she had never really thought about it before.

Moonfur sat up and stretched her long, pale legs in front of her, yawning loudly. "Darkpelt says we have dawn patrol tomorrow." she meowed to Greysight and Lostheart, but more to Lostheart in particular.

Lostheart nodded, "Okay."

Moonfur ruffled her pelt and made her way across the clearing to the warriors den, where Browneyes and Darkpelt had already turned in for the night. She sat down in her grassy nest and looked outside the den at the moon in the sky.

_'It's not so bad here.' _she thought inwardly, yet she still felt a small tearing feeling deep within her heart. Roseclaw could be a bit air-headed, but she liked the she-cat well enough and despite her rocky start with Greysight, she was okay, even with her arrogant attitude. Out of all the cats, she got along with Lostheart best.

She felt like they had a lot in common, and she had a feeling that Lostheart had changed her life.

* * *

"Where are we going first?" Moonfur asked.

"We'll start with the swamp and work our way down to the OceanClan border, I want to make sure they set up the new scent markers correctly." Lostheart replied.

She, Greysight, and Moonfur had just exited the tree tunnel and were now making their way through the woods and into the marshier parts of their territory.

Not far from where they stood, Greysight felt a slight vibration in the earth, but it felt too small to be any prey. Narrowing her eyes slightly Greysight sniffed the air, but couldn't scent anything above the smell of the marsh.

"Something's up ahead, I can feel it." she meowed.

Lostheart turned to look at her from the front of the group, "Is it a cat?"

"I think so, it's definitely not any prey that's for sure. It's just up ahead." she meowed nodding in the direction of the motion.

Moonfur looked between the two black she-cats, "Should we split up?"

"I don't think so. For now, Greysight, lead us closer to what you feel." Lostheart meowed.

The blind she-cat nodded and stepped forward through a small patch of ferns towards the direction of the movement. As they became closer, Greysight's could feel the vibrations getting stronger. It was definitely not a mouse or rabbit, but the steps were very light.

"I think there's a cat hunting on our territory." she meowed. "I can feel them moving around."

Greysight let out a soft growl and crept forward in her hunters crouch while Lostheart and Moonfur did the same and followed behind. Now that they were close enough, Greysight could pick up information from her senses.

There were at least two cats up ahead, and they both had strange, unfamiliar scents. _'Rogues?' _Her ear twitched, and she could hear the sound of voices up ahead, but she couldn't tell exactly what they were saying.

From the way Moonfur and Lostheart had frozen, she assumed the other two she-cats could hear it as well. "They're right up ahead, in that clearing." Greysight meowed in confirmation.

Lostheart nodded, "Okay, let's go. We'll leap in and try to take them by surprise."

Moonfur nodded as well, and together the three cats crept forward until they were crouched behind a large bush. Lostheart lowered her body and shuffled her haunches as she prepared to spring.

"Now!"

Greysight and Moonfur let out ferocious yowls as they leapt through the bush and into the clearing. A cry of surprise sounded in the clearing as they landed, and the she-cat's looked up to see two toms leap onto their paws.

"Whoa! Hey-!" One of the toms cried, stumbling backwards in surprise. Now that they were in the clearing, Lostheart was able to get a good look at the cats.

_'Rogues.'_

The first cat shakily re-caught their balance, while the one standing further back only straightened in surprise.

"Who are you!? Why are you on our territory!? This is DarkClan territory and you're trespassing preystealers!" Greysight yowled.

It made sense, their pawsteps felt light because they were hunting. Trying to steal their prey! Moonfur let out a hiss of her own and let her gray fluff up in intimidation.

The tom closest to them blinked his now large, violet eyes. Both the toms had colorful, tortoiseshell pelts. However, the tom in the back's pelt only consisted of black and orange.

"Answer me!" Greysight hissed.

The cat blinked again, but instead of replying, his face slowly grew into a large smirk. The tom padded forward, despite the she-cats' threatening forms and let out a low whistle.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here? It must be my lucky day." he meowed with an amused tone.

Lostheart was undeterred by the tom's unexpected reaction, what's more, neither of the toms had tried to run away. The tom standing in the back padded forward with an annoyed look on his face.

"Thistle." he warned. Moonfur's eyes danced between the two toms, wondering why they hadn't run away. Her eyes narrowed as she examined the second tom.

Both were skinny, but the black one appeared even more so, and his mottled pelt looked extremely uncared for. One of the ears at the top of his head was almost torn to pieces. Not only was it missing it's tip but it had several holes and gashes. The white tortoiseshell called Thistle only laughed, ignoring the black cat's annoyed yellow gaze.

"You're no fun." he whined.

From beside her, Greysight grew angrier by the second. "Hey!" she yelled, re-catching their attention. "If you don't get off our territory right now, I'll make you!"

This seemed to catch both cats' attention, and they turned to look at the she-cats with mild curiosity. "A fight they say!" the white one laughed.

_'That's it!'_

With an angry yowl, Greysight leapt forward, with sharp white claws outstretched. The white tom's eyes widened at the sudden movement and he leapt back just in time to avoid her claws, landing beside the black cat behind him.

He hadn't expected the blind cat to attack. "Look ladies, my brother and I go where we please, alright? There's plenty of prey to go around, and we're not going to leave until it pleases us." he meowed with an affirming nod.

"Then we'll make you!" Greysight hissed, rushing towards the pair of toms. Behind her, Moonfur also leapt into action, prepared to back her up. Before she could reach them, the two toms split, each veering off into the opposite direction.

Greysight skidded to a halt, and turned abruptly to try and catch the white one. Lostheart also stepped forward, there was something strange about these cats. They seemed very sure of themselves, despite being outnumbered.

Both toms were able to avoid their attackers and meet up again at the other side of the clearing. The white tom had a confident smirk across his face, and with a nod from his brother, he grabbed the black tom's pelt between his claws and flung the other cat towards them.

Moonfur and Greysight were both at opposite ends of the clearing when they saw the attack going straight at Lostheart. Moonfur's eyes widened in shock as the black tom threw himself through the air, spinning forward rapidly.

Lostheart had only seconds to react to the tom's incredible speed, and the cats could only watch as he prepared to strike her.

Lostheart's red eye narrowed in concentration, and in the final second, she threw her paw forward, gripping with her claws. The white tortoiseshell's eyes widened in shock, as Lostheart blocked the blow and the black tom landed awkwardly in front of her.

Lostheart growled and shot forward, ramming the black tom backwards and causing him to skid across the ground to his brother's paws. Moonfur and Greysight ran to her sides, and the three she-cats once again took their formation, watching the two rogues with newfound confidence.

The white tom still appeared shocked and quickly helped pull his brother up. "You okay, bro?" he asked tentatively. The mottled black and orange tom staggered to his paws and gave a weak nod.

The white tortoiseshell looked from his brother to the three she-cats, "Look, we didn't mean any harm. We were just trying to find some food and shelter for the night, we didn't know this area was already claimed."

Greysight snorted and scraped her claws against the earth, while Moonfur only watched in curiosity.

"You can stay in our camp for the night if you like."

Greysight's head snapped to Lostheart, "_What?"_ she growled.

The rogue blinked, "What? Really?" he meowed in surprise.

Lostheart nodded, "Yes, if you follow us we can take you there. We have plenty of prey and warms nests for the night. You should have just said so earlier."

Moonfur stayed quiet from Lostheart's side and watched the she-cat from the corner of her eyes, knowing that the she must have a plan.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**Progress! This scene might have come in to early but I felt like everything was going to slow, screw fillers! Ecen though they help character development, we shall go to storyline stuff.**

**Lost Out**


	21. Chapter 21: Strange New Arrivals

Greysight growled lightly as she walked in the back of the patrol, narrowing her eyes at the forms of the two rogues she knew were in front of her. Lostheart was leading the way back while she and Moonfur took up the rear, keeping an eye on the two toms in-between.

Or in Greysight's case, following their movements to make sure they didn't try anything. She was surprised that Moonfur had remained mostly silent the entire time, it was unusual for the she-cat to be so reserved, unless she was upset about something.

As they padded through the dark forest, the tom's head swiveled around as they took in the strange, new environment. It wasn't long before they reached the tree tunnel, and just in time too.

Moonfur swore if she kept glaring any longer, Greysight would set the two toms on fire. The white tortoiseshell let out a small sound of admiration. "Neat." he mused, looking at the tall thick structure of the trees that surrounded their path.

Lostheart led them into the camp wordlessly, while both toms examined the large clearing in surprise. Greysight snorted at their movements, but smiled to herself.

_'3...2...1'_

"Who are these cats?!"

_'Right on time.' _Greysight thought amusedly as she felt Darkpelt's heavy pawsteps thundering towards the group. The rogues only blinked in surprise and watched as the large white tom turned to face Lostheart with blazing smalt eyes.

"You've brought _more _outsiders into our camp, and rogues no less! I could smell their thick stench from across the clearing!" he growled deeply.

"Stench?! Hey-"

The white tortoiseshell was cut off as Greysight blocked him off with a sightless glare that could have made even Willowstar back down in fear. The tom seemed to catch the message and kept his mouth shut.

"They're going to stay here with us for the night," Lostheart replied calmly, "You and Browneyes should set up some nests for our guests." Darkpelt looked absolutely livid, but the great tom merely snorted. "Fine, but I'll be letting Sunstar know." He wasn't stupid, and he knew that Lostheart would never bring outsiders in without a reason.

"Good," Lostheart replied, "You'll be saving me the trip."

Darkpelt's eyes narrowed and he glanced briefly between Lostheart and he rogues before moving to perform his orders. The dark tom stalked away towards the leader's den, making sure to signal Browneyes over as he went. The silver tom had been watching the exchange curiously from across the clearing and ran quickly to meet up with his brother.

"What crawled up his butt and died? Am I right?" laughed the white tortoiseshell.

There was an awkward silence as Lostheart, Moonfur, and Greysight all paused to look at the tom with the same strange expression. The tom merely blinked, causing his brother to sigh beside him.

After shaking her head slightly, Lostheart began to pad away. "Feel free to help yourselves to some fresh-kill, Moonfur can show you where it is."

"Alright! I'm starving!"

Moonfur nodded slightly to Lostheart and gestured for the toms to follow her as she led them across the clearing. She gave them a rabbit and stood by as more cats began to gather around due to the announcement that Sunstar would be holding a meeting.

Moonfur watched in amazement as the toms scarfed down the rabbit, they had clearly been very hungry. It was unfortunate that they happened upon the one territory were prey was scarce.

Eventually, a dark shape emerged from the leader's den and Sunstar's golden pelt was revealed. He wasted no time circling around his den and leaping onto the top, eyeing the small group of cats in the clearing below. Many of which were watching the rogues, both with curiosity and wariness.

"You two." Sunstar began, "The two rogues, who have decided to trespass onto _my _territory. What do you call yourselves?"

The black tom appeared to be remaining very serious and controlled, but the white one merely leaned back as a grin appeared on his face.

"The name's Thistle, and this here is my brother, Ragged." he meowed, flicking his tail toward the darker tom.

Sunstar didn't seem to be amused by Thistle's lax tone and obliviousness to the situation. "And where do you come from? Why have you come onto my territory?"

Thistle opened his mouth to respond, but was cut off by the sound of a deep, rasping voice. "We found this forest after traveling through the outer lands of Twolegplace. We were only trying to find food, I didn't know there was a group of cats living out here."

Sunstar scoffed, "You're lucky my warriors didn't tear you apart. However, we will allow you to rest in our camp for the time being. There is plenty of food and space, as a clan we work together to survive. All cats serve the clan and in return we each are cared for and protected. A much easier and nobler life than that of a rogue's."

With a small sneer of disgust, Sunstar leapt down from his rock and once again retreated into his den. In the clearing, Roseclaw, Longtail, and Mintpaw were watching the unfamiliar cats warily from the side. None bothering to get any closer.

After the cats began to clear a little, Thistle flopped onto the ground with a contented sigh. His actions causing Browneyes and Darkpelt to look at him strangely.

"Soooo," he drawled, turning toward the two DarkClan toms. "Let me get this straight, there's you two, the old tom, and _these _she-cats?"

"Erm..Yes?" Browneyes replied.

Thistle let out another loud, obnoxious laugh. "Oh-ho-ho! Lucky guys."

Darkpelt glared at the tom as if he had grown another head, while Browneyes just shuffled his paws awkwardly. Ragged sighed and closed his yellow eyes, "Ignore him."

Browneyes still looked confused, "What do you mean?"

Thistle pulled himself up and looked at Browneyes with a single brow raised. "Well it's not like every tom gets to stay in a clan full of gorgeous she-cats."

By this point in time, Darkpelt had turned away and was beginning to walk away, while Greysight and Moonfur padded up to the group.

Thistle's eyes glanced across the clearing as he spotted a nearby figure. The cats in the clearing didn't have time to react as the tom shouted across the clearing.

"Yeah, I'm digging that exotic look! Whoo!"

Darkpelt, Greysight, Moonfur, and Browneyes all froze. Completely caught off guard, and they slowly turned to see what would happen.

Lostheart had been walking across the clearing and had stopped dead in her tracks. the black she-cat's back was to the group and she had become completely still. The temperature around the cats seemed to drop a few degrees, and Thistle just looked at the other cats with a confused expression.

However, they were ignoring him, and stood in silent shock, fearing Lostheart's reaction. A light breeze blew through the camp, ruffling Lostheart's fur slightly, and after another brief moment, the she-cat continued forward, not bothering to even turn to look at the cats.

The cats visibly relaxed, still surprised by the sudden action.

"Are you crazy?!" Darkpelt hissed, and with another low growl the tom stalked away to the warriors den, fed up with the annoying rogue.

"What? Is it something I said?" Thistle asked dumbly.

A vein visibly twitched in Greysight's head, this tom annoyed the living daylights out of her. _'Don't hurt him, Greysight, he's not worth it.'_

Rolling her eyes, Greysight stepped across the clearing, intent on visiting and talking to Mintpaw and Longtail.

Browneyes had left as well, going to follow his brother and leaving Moonfur alone with the toms. As far as she could tell, Thistle was an obnoxious moron, and Ragged...Well, there was something strange about him. His fur was badly unkept and his whiskers frazzled, the tom's shining, yellow eyes set her on edge. That, and he just seemed...twitchy.

Moonfur stood up, "We sleep in the den over there." she meowed, flicking her tail towards the warriors den. "Nests are set up for you when you're ready."

She padded away from the toms, happy to be away from their strange antics. She would never actually leave them alone in their camp unwatched, no, she just didn't want to be alone with them.

Moonfur made sure to slip away around the leaders den and work her way back towards the toms, able to watch the pair from a safe distance. Besides, she was sure Lostheart was doing the same thing somewhere right now.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**Movingg onnnn. :) I'm uber busy with studying and projects, I have exams next week so IDK how updates will go. I also entered a really big art competition I just sent in my submission, results come in November so we shall see. Any questions or thoughts/comments, leave em in reviews :) I'm happy I finally got to these two in our story xP Sunstar at this point really doesnt care about mucha nymore if you havent noticed. The DarkClan cats kind of had to work together to do things themselves.**

**Lost Out**


	22. Chapter 22: Deal

By the time the first rays of sunlight descended upon the forest, Greysight was already awake. She sat alone in the clearing, enjoying the moment of peace while she waited for the other cats to wake up. Lostheart was the only cat she had yet to notice, the deputy's nest had already been empty when she awoke.

Thistle and Ragged had, in fact, stayed the night. She had scented the two toms in the warriors den and could feel their sleeping forms on the far side of the den. Greysight snorted at the thought, it seemed ridiculous. DarkClan hospitality, taking in rogues and loners of all types. All cats welcome!

She scoffed and stretched her legs, yawning loudly. It couldn't be long now, Darkpelt was on a strict internal schedule. The tom woke up at the same exact time every day, honestly it was a little much.

* * *

Out in the forest, a lone figure walked through the forest, their pawsteps fading silently away. Lostheart had been out for most of the night, both hunting and spending some time at her tree. She honestly didn't feel like sleeping, and she felt like it was her responsibility to make sure the rogues didn't try to sneak away.

Hopefully, after a bit of persuasion, they might be able to convince the toms to stay. It wasn't exactly the nicest place, and prey was scarce, but it was worth a try. Even if they did stay, getting two rogues adjusted to clan life could prove to be a challenging task.

Such cats weren't used to respecting boundaries and following rules. Lostheart sighed lightly and allowed her shoulders to fall. It was easy to relax when she was alone, and no one was around to watch her. At times like these, she felt like an apprentice again.

She padded on through the forest until she came to Blue Hole. Lostheart walked through the small clearing, passing the pool as she prepared to dig up her buried kill. However, the movement from her side caught her eye and she stopped.

After a quiet moment, she turned and padded up to the water's edge, peering down into it's clear blue depths. She blinked at the image staring back at her, the she-cat's eyes looked cold and distant.

_'That's me.'_

Lostheart's eyes fell as she stared down, the water's surface shimmered lightly in the breeze. Almost immediately, her vision was drawn to her own eyes, and her reflection did the same, staring back at her. The long scar across her face still stood out sharply on her face, a permanent scar that would never heal.

_'I'm no beauty.'_

Lostheart's eyes narrowed slightly at her reflection, and she found herself hating the deep red eye and cloudy blank stare glaring back at her. After a moment, she gave in and sighed.

No cat... had ever said anything like that to her before. It had been completely unexpected and had managed to catch the she-cat completely off guard. Lostheart had retreated, feeling extremely embarrassed and uncomfortable. However, now as she sat before the pool she only felt emotionless and cold. _'Real funny, make fun of the ugly cat.' _It reminded her of her childhood and the cruel words the other kits used to say to her.

Lostheart stood up, leaving her reflection behind and padded away from the clearing. Once again on her way to find her kill. The words still bothered her, and she found herself being haunted by them for the rest of the day.

* * *

"Lostheart, you're back, and you have fresh kill! Great, I'm starving!" Roseclaw bounded over to her sister as the black she-cat lay down the prey. Greysight padded up behind her, and Lostheart could see the toms making their way over as well.

"There's not enough for everybody, but I don't need any. Here, take these mice to Mintpaw and Longtail, the thrush is for Sunstar. Give the rabbit to the rogues." she meowed quickly. "We can hunt for the rest of us later."

Roseclaw was still in awe of the large catch Lostheart had managed to bring in. "Were you out all night?" she meowed, a hint of worry in her voice.

"Not really." Lostheart replied.

Roseclaw frowned lightly, but leaned down to pick up the mice and padded away to see Mintpaw and Longtail. Once the white she-cat had disappeared from view, Darkpelt and Browneyes came over, escorting Thistle and Ragged.

"Sweet! Another rabbit, you guys are too kind!" Thistle meowed loudly, grabbing hold of the furry creature and placing it in front of him and his brother. Moonfur sat quietly beside Lostheart, and glanced to the side to examine the dark she-cat.

It was already morning, if Lostheart was going to do something, it would have to be now.

Lostheart waited until Darkpelt padded away to deliver Sunstar's fresh kill before turning to the two rogues. "I have a proposition for you." she meowed bluntly.

Thistle's ear twitched and he looked up, vaguely surprised with a mouth full of food. Ragged merely stood up a little straighter and eyed the she-cats suspiciously.

"If you have nowhere else to go, you're welcome to stay in the clan with us."

Thistle swallowed his mouthful and stood up beside his brother. The tom blinked for a moment then laughed. "My brother and I go where we please. That's the way it's always been."

Moonfur felt a twinge of anxiety watching the exchange, so far it wasn't looking too good. She had thought Ragged appeared suspicious of them the day he entered the camp, and she could only wonder what he was thinking.

"What about a family?" Moonfur asked.

Ragged 's eerie yellow eyes glanced to her briefly, but it was Thistle who replied. The white tortoiseshell leaned back, shrugging. "Don't have any."

"Well," Moonfur began, "Life will be much easier here. We have plenty of space, and you'll be kept safe from the cold and rain. And there's plenty of food to go around."

Ragged had now turned completely to look at the pale she-cat, as her strange eyes danced between the brothers. "I was a rogue too, but DarkClan took me in."

"It's nice...Everyone works to protect and help each other, with food, care, and protection against predators."

Thistle was quiet for a moment, then shrugged. "Yeah well, this place is kind of a dump."

A low growl emitted from Greysight, causing Thistle to grin impishly at the blind she-cat.

"Won't you at least consider it?" Moonfur continued, stepping in front of Greysight.

The two toms glanced at each other and turned around so that their backs faced the she-cats. They huddled together and several quiet whispers could be heard. Moonfur and Lostheart both blinked at their strange behavior.

Thistle was the first to whirl around, his viridian eyes gleaming mischievously. "We'll stay, _IF _that cat," Thistle meowed, turning and flicking his spotted tail towards Darkpelt outside the leader's den, " Can beat me and Ragged in a fight."

Moonfur and Lostheart both looked around the toms to see the cat Thistle was referring to.

"Deal."

Lostheart and Moonfur both turned and stepped to the side as Greysight stepped through them. Moonfur's eyes flashed to the blind she-cat with a worried expression, and as always, Lostheart retained her calm demeanor.

"Sweet, so we gonna fight in here?" Thistle meowed, looking around the camp..

"Don't be stupid, we have a training hollow where you guys can fight. We can go as soon as you're ready. Unless you want to back down?" Greysight replied.

"Tsk, tsk. Such a sharp tongue, Greysight. You know, some of us toms like that in a she-cat." Thistle continued.

"Don't. Call me that." Greysight hissed, lashing her tail from side to side.

Thistle didn't seem to be affected by the blind she-cat's threatening tone. "Why? It's your name isn't it?" he replied smartly.

"You haven't earned the right." she growled. "Moonfur, will you take these two to the training hollow with Browneyes?" _'And I'll deal with Darkpelt.'_

Moonfur nodded, "Sure. Follow me." The pale she-cat began to pad away, closely followed by the two tortoiseshell brothers. Greysight let out an irritated sigh, knowing that Darkpelt would only end up making her angry.

Moonfur was glad when Browneyes caught up to them after Lostheart told him what was happening. The tom wasn't too happy with the idea, but he complied nonetheless. She felt a lot better having one of her new clanmates by her side rather than being alone with the two unfamiliar rogues.

Ragged paused as Thistle suddenly stopped abruptly in the clearing. Moonfur and Browneyes continued on, oblivious to their stop. Ragged followed his brother's gaze curiously until he caught sight of what the tom had spotted.

Across the clearing, a white she-cat lay outside of a stone den, speaking with another smaller she-cat. Thistle began to reach out for Ragged, pawing blankly through open space until he felt his brother.

Ragged rolled his eyes, "Come on." he meowed, gently pushing Thistle forward in an attempt to catch up with the two DarkClan warriors. Thistle complied, but the tom couldn't help peering over his shoulder as he and Ragged stepped into the tree tunnel.

* * *

"I don't understand why you want that idiot to stay in the first place."

"Sunstar has already agreed Darkpelt, and they may be rogues," _'And an idiot.' _Greysight added silently, "But their help might be worth it in the long run. Don't you want DarkClan to be safe?"

Darkpelt snorted, "Of course." The large tom flexed lightly, snapping the bones in his powerful legs. "This won't take long."

He stepped past her and began to make his way out of the clearing. Greysight followed suit, hoping that Darkpelt would be right.

The tom was a formidable warrior to be sure, but could he handle both of those rogues on his own? They fought extremely in synch, and she had never witnessed a move like what they had done before. Vaguely, she wondered why they had chosen Darkpelt in the first place, and why they agreed so easily.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**I apologize for any errors in this chapter, unlike most of my chapters, I didn't go back over and edit this one. : Both Ragged and Thistle have very different character personalities than my other cats, and I wanted to make them really different. Especially since they were born/raised/lived in sich a different area. I really enjoy their character development and general characters, and I hope you will too. **

**Lost Out**

**P.S. Any thoughts/ questions leave em' in reviews. :)**

**P.P.S Added after a review I got for this chapter. EHERM, NO THERE IS NO FORBIDDEN LOVE. I actually strongly dislike that theme, and it is pretty overused not bad, just no...not my style. You'll just have to see what happens. :P**


	23. Chapter 23: Fight

Browneyes perked up as he caught the sound of approaching pawsteps and watched Darkpelt step into the clearing with Greysight. Thistle and Ragged had been lounging around, but both stood up at the sight of the great tom.

Ragged had a small frown on his face, but Thistle seemed to light up. His face grew into a wide grin and his whiskers twitched in excitement. Browneyes shifted anxiously beside Moonfur and he could see in the pale she-cat's eyes that she wasn't completely okay with this idea either.

He could see in the way his brother walked that he was confident in himself, but Browneyes knew Darkpelt was very prideful in his abilities. And he had a right to be. Darkpelt had worked harder than anyone he believed ever could, the tom was a force of nature.

Darkpelt strode arrogantly into the clearing until he was standing across from the two rogue brothers. Darkpelt rarely ever smiled, but he could see the outline of a dark smirk growing on his brother's face. "You think you can beat me?" he growled lowly.

Thistle laughed amusedly, "Show us what you got!"

Browneyes gulped as he watched the toms take up their fighting positions. Darkpelt had lowered himself slightly and was watching the rogues with a deep intensity from across the clearing, trying to anticipate their move.

Thistle and Ragged slowly stepped forward, crouching and turning their bodies ever so slightly, lining themselves up in perfect symmetry. Browneyes and Moonfur both jumped as a dark figure landed gracefully beside them with a slight whoosh.

Both warriors relaxed when they realized it was only Lostheart. "Are they ready?" she meowed lightly to Moonfur. The gray warrior nodded, "Yes, I think so."

Greysight scoffed from beside them, her extra sensitivity allowing her to hear their conversation. She knew how this battle would end up, it was a waste of time really.

Darkpelt's eyes flashed as Thistle and Ragged flew forward, crossing past one another and switching sides. Darkpelt quickly backed himself up and readied himself for their attack. The two toms were moving at the exact same speed and Darkpelt realized they would attack simultaneously.

_'I have to either fend them both off, or throw one of them off long enough to take care of the other.'_

He saw his opportunity when Thistle passed Ragged and leapt to attack him. Darkpelt let out a roar and, instead of attempting to dodge the attack, launched himself forward, ramming the other cat back. Darkpelt had a clear size advantage and easily knocked the Thistle to the ground, but he didn't have time to inflict any serious damage on him because Ragged had appeared behind him.

Darkpelt moved quickly, but he wasn't fast enough to avoid a sharp scratch on the shoulder. Thistle easily rolled over and re-gained his paws as Darkpelt reacted to the attack. The spotted tom looked to his brother, and a after a short nod from Thistle they moved again.

The two toms split and began circling Darkpelt, flanking him from opposite sides. A deep growl rumbled in Darkpelt's throat as he watched the quick forms of Thistle and Ragged become closer.

_'I'm not going to sit here and wait for them to attack!'_

Darkpelt's vision flashed to Thistle and the tom took off. Thistle's eyes widened slightly and he leapt back to avoid Darkpelt's blow, letting the sound of Darkpelt's powerful swing rush through the air in front of him.

Greysight was paying very close attention to the battle, she knew that neither of the toms could afford a close blow from Darkpelt. The tom's powerful attacks would crush them. Thistle moved to keep up with Darkpelt's flurry of attacks, but it was clear his movements were becoming slower and less exact.

A gasp sounded from Moonfur as Thistle suddenly tripped as he was leaping back to avoid another swipe from Darkpelt. The tom fell backwards onto the ground, his eyes shot open and widened in shock as Darkpelt's shadowy form leered above him, prepared to strike.

However, before Darkpelt could slam his paws down onto the tom, a dark shape leapt through the air, flipping forward and digging their claws into the flecked warrior's back. Darkpelt let out a howl of rage as the Ragged's sharp claws pierced his skin.

Ragged managed to keep his hold and bit down onto the back of Darkpelt's neck. The great warrior, stepped off of Thistle as he attempted to throw off the black tortoiseshell.

Darkpelt's deep blue eyes contracted in rage and the cats could only watch as he threw himself back, slamming Ragged into the ground beneath him, crushing the tom with his weight.

"Ragged!"

Thistle's horrified yowl cut across the clearing as Darkpelt stood backup, leaving the black tom lying on the ground. Thistle's violet eyes were wide and clouded with worry, and a hint of fear.

Darkpelt turned towards Thistle, his dark eyes gleaming. Moonfur's fearful eyes glanced to Browneyes beside her, and she could see the concerned expression on his face. Moonfur couldn't help feeling a wave of anxiety sweep over her as her gaze slid back over to the tom lying still in the dirt.

Thistle's eyes danced between Darkpelt and his brother, the tom's teeth were gritted tightly and Moonfur could tell that something was going through his head.

"Okay!" he exclaimed, "We'll stay, just stop!"

Darkpelt paused in his steps, and the cats watched as Thistle darted past him and over to Ragged. Moonfur, Browneyes, Lostheart, and Greysight all stepped forward as well. The three she-cats quickly walked over to where Thistle was crouched beside his brother muttering something quickly to the other tom.

"Ragged...you okay?"

Slowly, the tom stirred and his yellow eyes slowly opened.

"...Ragged?" Thistle meowed tentatively once more.

Ragged blinked and his eyes slowly turned towards his brother. "Yes." he replied after a moment of silence, pulling himself up. Thistle sighed in relief and laughed, pawing his brother in the side, "Good."

Moonfur and Thistle both helped Ragged to his paws while Darkpelt and Browneyes came over.

"You lost, so you have to keep up your end of the deal." Greysight meowed. Thistle and Ragged both turned toward the she-cat with mixed expression.

"...Yes, I suppose you're right." Ragged breathed quietly. Moonfur could have sworn she saw Ragged shoot his brother a look, but she wasn't too sure. Greysight seemed completely aloof, "Good, our medicine cat Roseclaw can take a look at you back at camp."

Thistle nodded, and prepared to help his brother walk back to the camp. Greysight had known it would turn out this way. _'They may be talented fighters, and normally their style would work well against other cats, but Darkpelt has been trained to take on several cats at once. Still, if they had both done that move at once, they might have been able to overtake him...'_

* * *

When they returned to camp, Browneyes had immediately taken Ragged to Roseclaw. While the medicine cat tended to the wounded tom, Thistle waited in the clearing with a few of the DarkClan cats.

The obnoxious tom was unusually quiet and serious, his eyes locked onto the medicine cat den.

"Those are some pretty intense moves you guys have. Especially that one attack, how do you do it?" Greysight meowed.

Violet eyes turned to look at the blind she-cat with a confused expression. "How did you-"

"Look. I may not be able to see, but I can still feel, hear, and scent things."

Thistle shifted a bit, not completely understanding what the blind she-cat meant, but choosing not to question her knowing that despite her blindness the she-cat was a fierce fighter. The tom shrugged, "It's in our blood."

"You said you came from Twolegplace."

Greysight, Moonfur, and Thistle all turned to see Lostheart padding up to them. "What's it like?" Lostheart remembered her past encounters with twolegs, they were mysterious creatures, but she herself had never been in their territory.

Thistle chuckled a little and shook his head, "Not like anything you've ever seen before. The twolegs nests you're familiar with are only the outer regions of twolegplace, you can't imagine what it's like on the inside."

Even Greysight had become curious now, and she listened to the tom with eager ears. "Tell us." she meowed.

Thistle's eyes seemed to sharpen as the tom appeared to recall certain memories. "Twolegs are everywhere, tons of them. There is no grass there, the earth is hard, ...it is a stone-cold place. Their stone trees literally touch the sky, they climb higher than any of the trees in this forest and cast their massive shadows over the land. There is no food, and cats are left to eating crowfood and twoleg garbage. The air stinks and you are constantly having to compete with dogs and other cats to survive. It's not exactly a pleasant environment." Thistle muttered.

"Is that why you left?" Moonfur meowed curiously.

Thistle scoffed, a ghost of a smirk on his face, "That isn't a place for the likes of any cat."

Lostheart, Greysight, and Moonfur decided not to ask the tom any more questions, he seemed troubled enough as it was. Instead, they sat in silence, waiting for their clanmates.

It wasn't long before Ragged's mottled form appeared from the shadows of the medicine cat den, Thistle immediately rose to his paws and padded over to see him. Greysight was surprised at how quickly the tom had appeared, what's more, it didn't feel like he was injured at all.

Thistle affectionately touched his forehead to his brother's and stepped back, observing the tom. "You look great!" he meowed.

"Luckily there wasn't any internal damage or fractures to his ribcage. It appears that you merely got the wind knocked out of you." Roseclaw meowed, appearing from the nursery with Mintpaw and flicking Ragged with the tip of her tail.

Ragged dipped his head slightly, "Thank you, Roseclaw. For taking care of me."

Roseclaw smiled, her laugh bubbling through the air, "I'm the medicine cat, it's my job."

"You know," Thistle began, "I'm not feeling too good myself. I think you should take a look at me too."

Roseclaw looked at the tom skeptically, "You look fine to me."

Greysight could feel herself becoming progressively more annoyed and quickly stepped between the two cats to avoid any shenanigans the tom might try to pull.

"Come on, now that you're part of the clan, you have to get your warrior names from Sunstar." she meowed, giving Thistle a push towards the leader's den.

The two toms looked at each other skeptically as they were lead to the center of the clearing. "Warrior names?"

"Yes, warrior names." Greysight repeated, "Now that you will be staying with us, you have to have warrior names. Sunstar is already waiting."

True to her word, the clan's golden leader stood on top of his stone den with Darkpelt and Browneyes sitting at its base. Even Longtail had come out and was now watching from the side with cold eyes.

Sunstar's gaze shifted to the pair of toms as they stepped forward. _'Tch. Rogues.' _Sunstar didn't believe these cats would manage to change anything, just letting them stay in their camp was disgraceful enough. _'If only Shadestar could see what DarkClan has come to.'_

"Now that Darkpelt has beaten you in battle," he began, "You must now keep your word to serve our clan. We have many rules and traditions that rogues like yourself will be unfamiliar with, despite this, I expect you to obey them. I will not tolerate any disobedience."

Both Thistle and Ragged's faces had become serious and they watched Sunstar with unwavering gazes.

"You will no longer be known as Thistle and Ragged, but as Thistleprick and Raggedear. Don't make me regret allowing you into this clan." Sunstar growled.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**Sorry for the wait, I've been sick, and I still am. It sucks, a lot. I also have midterms this week, ugh. Questions and comments leave em in reviews :) I actually have a specific question this time: What do you think the prophecy means? **

**Lost Out**

**p.s siicckkkkkk**


	24. Chapter 24: Rules

After Sunstar had faded from view, the camp began to move around again. Thistleprick and Raggedear sat awkwardly in the clearing, unsure of what to do. Lostheart noticed the two toms, and stopped Greysight and Moonfur by her side.

"Will you guys go explain how clan life to Thistleprick and Raggedear, I think it'd probably be best if we do that first." Lostheart had a feeling Greysight would be the best person for the job considering how seriously the she-cat took her warrior duties.

Greysight nodded, "Sure." Although she really didn't like Thistleprick, Greysight didn't mind following the orders of the clan's deputy-no, she didn't mind doing favors for her friends. It was weird to think about the fact that she and Lostheart were actually half sisters. It had never really been a big issue. When she was a kit, her mother told her to stay away from Lostheart and held a strong dislike for her mother, Silentshadow.

Yet she herself had never bore any ill will toward either of the she-cats, and as a kit Silentshadow had always seemed so kind, the she-cat was never mean or strict towards her. Greysight let a small smile grace her features as she padded toward the pair of toms. _'You were never mean or hateful towards me, yet I didn't bother getting to know you. Just like everyone else...'_

"Yo! Greysiiiight-I can call you that now, right?"

The sound of Thistleprick's loud voice instantly made her smile fall. Her smile turned to a grimace and she stomped over to her new "clanmates."

"Look." Greysight began, "No one else wants to bother putting up with you, so I'm stuck with the job of explaining how clan life works."

Raggedear remained silent, but Greysight could tell the tom was listening. Thistleprick closed his eyes and nodded in mock seriousness, "Yes, clan life. Right."

"You better listen well because I'm not gonna be saving your tail if you get into any trouble." Greysight growled.

"Alright, alright. Just chill." Thistleprick replied defensively, "No need to flip out."

Greysight narrowed her blank gaze toward the spotted tom before continuing. "We coexist in this area with three other clans. Our clan is DarkClan, and there are three other clans living in the neighboring territories: OceanClan, TreeClan, and LightClan. Our borders fall against OceanClan, TreeClan, and Twolegplace."

Thistleprick was nodding absentmindedly, but didn't appear to be taking it too seriously. "Why is this important again?"

"Because," Greysight snapped, "You have to respect the borders. I know cats like _you _probably aren't used to things like that, but here it's important. Crossing onto another clan's territory or stealing prey from their land is a violation of the warrior code, the set of rules that we live by- and now that you live by."

"Borders, don't cross 'em. Got it."

_'Okay, that's it.' _Greysight growled. In one swift motion, the blind she-cat smacked Thistleprick on the shoulder, hard. The tom nearly fell over from the force of the impact.

"OW! Hey! What was that for?!" Thistleprick whined as he regained his balance while rolling his shoulder.

"This is serious! Pay attention!" Greysight hissed before clearing her throat. "Now, as I was saying," she meowed, turning back towards Raggedear, "Under no circumstances do you ever enter another clan's territory. We also run daily patrols to renew scent markers to make sure the borders are secure. Darkpelt organizes most of them, along with hunting parties."

"...Are there many cats?"

Greysight's ear twitched at the sound of Raggedear's strange voice, "Yes, and each full moon we meet in peace at Fourtrees in the center of all our territories. It's a time to talk to cats from other clans and share news of the forest."

Thistleprick had been watching his brother silently, but as it appeared the black tortoiseshell would say no more he glanced back at Greysight. The blind she-cat suddenly whipped her head towards Thistleprick.

"Which reminds me. _You._" she growled, taking a step toward the tom.

Thistleprick took a step back sheepishly, "What? Me?" he laughed, trying not to look at the intimidating way Greysight was standing in front of him.

"Yes, you. These gatherings may be a time to talk to the other clans, but you can't get too friendly with them. You can't give away any of our secrets, and don't even _think _about talking to any of their she-cats." Greysight growled.

"What?" Thistleprick laughed, "Oh, Greysight, you know I only have eyes for you."

Greysight only glared at the tom, clearly not amused. "I mean it, relationships with cats from the other clans are forbidden and against the code." Greysight said seriously.

Thistleprick sighed, "Yeah, yeah, I get it. The code. Anything else?"

"You can't disobey the clan leader, you must challenge any intruders, you're not allowed to waste prey, and as warriors we reject the lives of kittypets. There's more, but I think while you spend time with our clan, it will be easy to learn the code."

Thistleprick groaned, "So many rules."

Greysight rolled her eyes, "You'll live. As long as you follow them that is. We've already had all the hunting and border patrols for the day, so I'll see what you guys can do. Darkpelt may want one of us to take you through the territory or out hunting."

Thistleprick nodded, but stopped abruptly. "Wait. Take us?" he repeated.

"What? You didn't think we'd trust you enough to go out on your own did you?" Greysight smirked at the expression she knew would be on the tom's face, "No need to flip out."

Raggedear stood up quickly, catching Greysight's attention, "Is that all?" he meowed.

Greysight nodded and listened as the tom padded away, she could have sworn there was a hint of acid to his tone. Thistleprick had turned to watch his brother walk away as well, an unreadable expression on his face.

"What's wrong with him?" Greysight asked.

Thistleprick sighed and rose to his paws, shaking himself off slightly. "Nah, he's just mad at me." Thistleprick muttered.

Greysight blinked, "Why?"

Thistleprick only shrugged before padding off to the stream for a drink of water.

* * *

"Now that you're here, you might as well make yourselves useful." Darkpelt meowed, stepping in front of Browneyes and the two new toms. "Browneyes and Moonfur will take you through the territory, while you're out you might as well bring some fresh kill back for the clan as well."

The flecked tom couldn't believe he had even more cats to put up with, and it was his own fault. He knew that he would have never backed down from the challenge though, and the clan needed fighting warriors.

Moonfur was sitting nearby, watching the exchange with Roseclaw and Mintpaw. She had been sitting quietly, but something had been bugging her and she couldn't stop thinking about it.

"How come they didn't have to get apprentice names?" she grumbled.

A mreow of laughter from behind caused the pale she-cat to turn in surprise. "Because we know they can fight." Greysight replied.

Moonfur huffed, but was distracted as Mintpaw leapt to her paws. Darkpelt had padded away and the young apprentice had darted up to the newcomers. Greysight and Moonfur blinked at the young apprentice's quick reaction.

"She's been curious about them." Roseclaw explained, "I promised she could go meet them when they weren't busy." The medicine cat rose to her paws and padded after her apprentice, closely followed by Greysight and Moonfur.

Raggedear and Thistleprick had jumped slightly when they turned to see a little she-cat staring up at them with shining green eyes. Mintpaw's face broke out into a wide smile.

"Hello! I'm Mintpaw, the clan's medicine cat apprentice. I'm really glad you guys decided to stay with us, it's neat having more toms around!"

Thistleprick's eyes softened and he laughed, "Thanks, I'm Thistleprick and this is my brother Raggedear."

Raggedear gave a slight nod in greeting, "Nice to meet you."

Greysight and Moonfur padded up to the group while Roseclaw hung back.

Mintpaw nodded excitedly, "Maybe we can eat together! Oh, and you could come with me and Roseclaw to collect herbs!" she squeaked.

Thistleprick eyed the she-cat with an odd expression, "Don't hurt yourself kid." he meowed. The tom looked up and blinked, surprised to see Greysight looking at him with an unusually soft expression.

"What?" he meowed, noticing her smile.

Greysight shook her head, a small smile on her face. "Nothing, you just remind me of someone."

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**Short, but I felt like I owed you guys from being sick. I still am, but not as bad now :/ Anyquestions/comments leave em' in reviews. I always feel like i forget whatever i was going to write in these things.**

**Lost Out**


	25. Chapter 25: A New Plan

Lostheart was on her way back to camp after a short visit to her mother's tree, carrying a small squirrel in her jaws. Once she got back to camp, she hoped to find Greysight and talk to her about plans for the future. Thistleprick and Raggedear were still strangers to them, and she felt like there was more to the rogues than what they said.

Today Browneyes and Darkpelt had taken their new clanmates on a full tour of the territory, explaining how the borders worked and where prey ran best. Thistleprick was definitely the more lax of the two, the tom didn't seem to take anything seriously. Lostheart hoped this wouldn't become a problem in the future, they needed warriors who were ready to perform their duties.

Raggedear seemed more complex, Lostheart had been watching both the toms since she arrived, and he was quite distant. She sighed through the squirrel in her jaws, their clan was falling apart. Even from the day she was born they were a small, split clan. What's more, none of the cats particularly liked each other much and stuck to themselves, at least, when they weren't arguing that is.

How were they ever going to function as a clan when no cat wanted to make the effort to work together?

Lostheart dragged her paws lightly along the path of the tree tunnel, enjoying the cover that the thick, dark trees offered around her. When she stepped into the camp, she was met with the familiar dull, gray of the sky. Across the camp, she spotted a white shape lying outside the medicine cat and recognized Roseclaw's familiar shape, along with Mintpaw by her side. It looked like the apprentice was chatting excitedly about something.

Lostheart turned away from the talking pair and headed toward the center of camp where the clan's fresh kill pile lay in a pitifully small amount. Longtail was lying in the clearing as well, close to the fresh kill pile. The older she-cat snorted at the sight of Raggedear and Thistleprick padding into the camp through the tree tunnel.

It was ridiculous that their clan had to rely on pitiful loners and rogues. Stories had always been told of how DarkClan had triumphed over the other clans when lead by their founder, Xander. Where were those times now? DarkClan had once been strong, feared even, but now they were barely even a clan; just a poorly stitched together imitation. Sunstar didn't even seem to care anymore, not about the clan, or about her...but then again, when had he ever cared about her?

Her poisonous green eyes narrowed as Lostheart stepped past her and put a small squirrel in the fresh kill pile.

"These things never would have happened if Ivyfoot was deputy." Longtail muttered venomously, just loud enough so Lostheart would hear.

The black she-cat made no move to show she had heard the Siamese, and padded silently away after dropping off her squirrel. Longtail watched the she-cat leave distastefully.

_'I always knew that kit was trouble. How disgusting, Sunstar must be ashamed to have kitted such a thing.'_

Despite her lack of response, Lostheart had ,in fact, heard Longtail's cold words. She knew that they had been intentionally directed at her. _'She's right. If Ivyfoot was still here, he would have managed to lead the clan, and without his death, Sunstar wouldn't have closed up. Its all my fault...'_

Memories of the battle with TreeClan flashed through her mind and she remembered watching as waves of cats came flooding down upon Ivyfoot. Yet she was helpless as the TreeClan warriors blocked her path, holding her back...

Lostheart squeezed her eyes shut and felt her claws scraping lightly against the ground. _'No. Don't think about it...'_

"Hey, Lostheart!"

Lostheart blinked, and turned to see Greysight padding towards her.

"Darkbutt took Raggedear and Thistleprick out to look over the territory with Browneyes. Apparently it went off without a hitch, how about that? I was out hunting. Is there anything else we need to do?"

Lostheart mutedly shook her head, still feeling a bit distracted. Greysight frowned slightly, "Roseclaw says she's almost out of catmint... Because of the cold weather, the plants growing in the swamp have already begun to die out. She said we might find some near Blue Hole, I'm familiar with the herb's scent, so I can go if you like." Greysight meowed.

_'That's right, Longtail is still sick,' _Lostheart thought tiredly, _'Maybe that's why Greysight has been so irritable lately, she's probably worried.'_

"...Okay, I'll go with you." Lostheart meowed after a moment. Greysight appeared slightly surprised by her response, but nodded nonetheless. Lostheart followed after Greysight as the blind she-cat led the way expertly through the forest, _'If you didn't see her face, you would never know she's actually blind.'_ Lostheart mused.

A sharp, brief pain stabbed at Lostheart's stomach, yet the she-cat didn't wince. _'Another one.'_

Lostheart hadn't realized it had been so long since she last ate, she always made sure the other cats ate before her. There was never really much left. The stomach aches she got were frequent, but after a while the pain didn't even bother her anymore because she was so used to it.

Even as a kit she had always gotten them, although Silentshadow had said part of it was because she worried too much. Lostheart shook her head at the thought of her mother, _'Not now.'_

Greysight and Lostheart padded into the area surrounding Blue Hole, Greysight had already begun to sniff around. Lostheart watched her for a moment before glancing around the area as well.

"Are you familiar with catmint? I couldn't really tell you what it looks like." Greysight meowed suddenly.

"Yes." replied Lostheart, she had seen Roseclaw and Mintpaw take the herbs to Longtail several times and was familiar with their appearance. She padded close to the small pool and scanned its edges, but she couldn't find the familiar plant located amongst the others.

Greysight had shifted back around as well and opened her mouth to taste the air, "I'm not picking up anything.." she meowed quietly. The fact that her mother's sickness was getting worse by the day worried her greatly, and now that it was impossible to find catmint, she didn't know what Roseclaw would be able to do for Longtail or any of her other clanmates.

"Me neither." Lostheart replied.

Greysight shook her head dejectedly, "Well we won't be finding anything out here, and I wouldn't know where to look for more." she meowed. Lostheart nodded and began to step forward in the direction of camp.

"-But," Greysight cut in, "I actually wanted to talk to you for a moment. It's been bothering me for a while..."

Her words made Lostheart stop completely, and after a short moment of silence, she turned to face her blind companion. Greysight could feel her shift in movement, and even though Lostheart hadn't said anything, she knew the other she-cat was listening.

"It's about Longtail...and Silentshadow."

Lostheart remained silent, but if Greysight could see, she would have noticed the flash of uncertainty in the strange she-cat's eyes. Greysight didn't know how Lostheart felt about the issue, and she hoped it wouldn't make the deputy angry.

"I know that Sunstar is your father, as well as my own. Longtail didn't like it when I went too close to you or Silentshadow as a kit, I never realized she had so much of a grudge against your mother." Greysight paused, she knew Lostheart was aware of her mother's distaste for her and her family.

"I just want you to know that I have never held it against you, or Silentshadow for that matter. It is a little strange, to think that we share half the same blood." Greysight smiled kindly.

"I know." Lostheart replied, slightly surprising Greysight.

Greysight knew that Sunstar openly looked down on Lostheart, he had been the one to decree that she was to be avoided as much as possible. He had never been close to either of them. Greysight let out a small, bitter laugh as she thought of her kithood. Part of the reason she had always worked so hard was because she wanted Sunstar to acknowledge her.

Greysight knew that Sunstar had been disappointed when he discovered she was blind. She wanted to show him that she wasn't useless, and even though she was blind, she was a daughter he could be proud of. _'And when he finally did acknowledge me, it was only because he needed my abilities to help spy on the other clans.'_

Thinking about the other clans made a new question rise in Greysight's mind. "Do you think we'll be okay Lostheart? The clan I mean?"

"...I don't know. We can only try." Lostheart replied dully.

Greysight nodded in agreement, "Yeah, I guess you're right."

"I think that we're too split on the inside. We need to work together if we're going to protect ourselves from TreeClan. You have to admit, no one is particularly close..."

Greysight nodded and thought silently for a moment, listening to the sound of chirping bugs around her. "Yeah, but you, Roseclaw, Moonfur, and I get along. I think most of our problems lie in the toms. I think we should do some special training, but instead of fighting, it'll be for teamwork!"

It was a good idea, but Lostheart wasn't too sure the toms would be willing to comply. It would be a good way to involve Thistleprick and Raggedear more...

"It sounds like a good idea, but I'm not sure if they'd agree."

Greysight scoffed and rolled her eyes, "I'll make them agree." she meowed confidently.

"Okay, I'll leave you in charge of it then."

Lostheart followed Greysight back to camp, noticing a quickening in her pace. She seemed really excited about the idea, Lostheart wondered what she was planning. In all honesty, she had always been a bit jealous of Greysight.

Unlike her, Greysight was always confident and able to make friends easily. Lostheart wasn't good with other cats, not to mention Greysight was a very beautiful she-cat. _'I guess I've always envied you...although that's probably not fair.' _Greysight probably wouldn't like the idea of someone envying her, she wouldn't understand why anyone would ever want to be blind.

* * *

Thistleprick padded through the camp with Browneyes and sat down by Raggedear where the mottled, black tom lay alone in the shade of one of the trees. The calico tom yawned loudly and stretched his legs, neck fur bristling at the cold chill that hung in the air.

His violet eyes flickered toward movement in his peripheral vision and he turned to see the white she-cat padding into a large stone den with the apprentice from earlier, _'Mintpaw was it?'_

Raggedear and Browneyes had each followed his gaze as well. Browneyes seemed to notice the mischievous flicker in the tom's eyes. "Who's that?" Thistleprick meowed, flicking his tail toward the pair.

Browneyes shifted awkwardly for a moment, "That's Roseclaw, she's the clan's medicine cat. Mintpaw is her apprentice."

Thistleprick hummed softly for a moment before rising to his paws, "I think I'll go introduce myself then." he replied.

"Medicine cats aren't allowed to have a mate or kits you know." Browneyes meowed, already familiar with Thistleprick's strange personality. "They have to commit their lives to StarClan."

Thistleprick nodded and stepped forward, seemingly ignoring Browneyes's words, "Yeah, yeah. Got it." he replied, flicking his tail toward the tabby.

* * *

Roseclaw cursed under her breath as piles of her herbs fell from their shelves and scattered the ground as she accidently brushed them off the wall with her tail.

Mintpaw quickly came to help her pick up the mess. Roseclaw was a very unorganized, distracted she-cat, but Mintpaw knew she tried her best. Roseclaw had told Mintpaw of her previous mentor, Mosspelt, and how she had become a medicine cat early in life after Mosspelt was found dead in the forest.

Mintpaw looked up to her mentor greatly, Roseclaw was her sister's best friend too, it made her feel like Roseclaw was like a sister as well.

"Thank you, Mintpaw." she meowed tiredly as moved around quickly to gather up all the fallen leaves and berries. Her blue gaze landed on her apprentice, and she felt a sense of uselessness welling up inside her.

Longtail was getting worse each day, and they had already run out of catmint. Greysight had gone out to collect some, but she had a deep feeling of doubt inside her that there was nothing left. Longtail was both Greysight's and Mintpaw's mother, if anything happened to her...Roseclaw would never forgive herself.

Her eyes fell on the mouse Mintpaw had brought her earlier lying at the base of the wall. After putting up the last of the fallen yarrow leaves, Roseclaw pulled the mouse over to her with one paw.

Mintpaw smiled expectantly, happy that her mentor was finally going to rest and eat the mouse she had caught for her. Secretly, she had been practicing hunting a lot. That mouse was one of her best catches so far, she knew it wasn't her responsibility, but she felt like the clan needed her help.

Large, pale eyes blinked as the mouse was pushed over towards her. Mintpaw looked up to see Roseclaw smiling softly at her, "Here. Go take this to Longtail. I know she hasn't eaten all day."

Mintpaw wanted her mentor to eat, but she knew that her mom needed the food more and understood Roseclaw's choice. "Okay." she meowed, picking up the gray mouse in her jaws.

Mintpaw was trotting out of the medicine cat den when Roseclaw's voice sounded from inside. "I'm sure she'll be proud of you. That mouse was a good catch."

Mintpaw felt surprise at first, but a feeling of warmth quickly spread through her. She quickened her pace to a small run, happy knowing that Roseclaw supported her.

Roseclaw smiled fondly as she watched Mintpaw run off to the elder's den to see her mother. Mintpaw was too sweet for her own good.

"Ah, kids. They're so cute when they're young aren't they?"

Roseclaw jumped at the sound of another cat's voice and turned to see one of the clan's newest arrivals leaning against the outer stone of the medicine cat den.

Thistleprick pushed himself off the stone and padded toward the white she-cat. "Hey, I'm Thistleprick, but you probably already know that." he smirked.

"You want a prize or something?"

Thistleprick as caught off guard by her snippy response, amazed at how fast her personality had changed. A few seconds ago she had been smiling serenely and sitting in a relaxed manner, but now her demeanor had taken a complete one-eighty.

Roseclaw raised a single brow at the tom and retained her bored expression. Was this cat _really _going to try and hit on her? Oh yes, Greysight had warned her about this one. Apparently he had the ability to irritate the blind she-cat to no end, however, she gave him props for that.

The tom only blinked for a second, but quickly regained himself as the smile on his face grew even larger and he let out a laugh. "I would love a prize actually, especially if it's from you." he winked.

He watched in amusement as the she-cat glared at him through angry, scrunched up blue eyes. A light pink dusted her fur and Roseclaw found herself turning away awkwardly.

"Do you need something? Or are you just here to waste a _medicine cat's_ time?" she meowed, stressing the word medicine cat as a sort of hint to the tom.

Thistleprick closed his eyes and acted as if he was seriously pondering the question. "Mmm...Nope, I'm just here to waste your time."

"Just kidding." he meowed quickly, not wanting to offend the she-cat more than he already had. "I just saw you from over there and thought I should introduce myself, after all, we're 'clanmates' now right?"

Roseclaw sighed and let her fur lie flat again before turning around to face Thistleprick again. "I'm Roseclaw, the clan's medicine cat-"

"Oh, I know who you are."

"THEN WHY DID YOU COME OVER HERE?"

Thistleprick merely shrugged with a smug grin on his face, walking backwards away from the medicine cat den.

"I'll see you later Rosie!" he meowed before quickly turning and running back across the camp. _'Maybe this clan won't be so boring after all.'_

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**Upcoming chapter events: Teamwork training, trouble, catmint, and gatherings. What shall happen? I'm not as sick as I was, but my sinuses are all crazy right now. Greysight was remembering her mentor, Cherrynose. :) **

**TEAMWORK. How do you think that will work out?**

**Lost Out**


	26. Chapter 26: Find the Stones

"I'm sure you're all curious as to why we brought you here." Greysight meowed, stepping in front of the four toms that now stood with her, Lostheart, and Moonfur in the training hollow.

Darkpelt snorted from where he stood beside Browneyes in the clearing. Greysight shot him an invisible glare and continued on. "Lostheart has put me in charge of preparing you some training exercises-"

"Training? I don't have time for this, there are patrols to be run!" Darkpelt growled. His days of being an apprentice were over, and he had already completed his training. Was she trying to say he wasn't good enough?

"Too bad, because you're going to do it. It's a direct order from the clan's deputy, if you challenge her decision, you are, in turn, challenging the decision of our clan leader."

Darkpelt's tail lashed, but the flecked tom held his tongue and stepped back with a hard glare in his eyes.

"Good." Greysight meowed, "Your objective in this exercise is to collect five of these."

The toms watched curiously as Moonfur pushed forward a small shiny stone that had been picked out of the stream. "I've hidden them throughout the forest, and the first team to return to this spot with all their stones wins."

"Sweet! Is there a prize?!"

Darkpelt's tail twitched in irritation as Thistleprick's loud voice cut through the air. Greysight grinned smugly, "Maybe. You'll just have to find out." she replied. Browneyes looked slightly worried, but Thistleprick appeared very excited. His brother, on the other hand, had yet to say anything.

The tom's tail twitched ever so slightly, a motion that did not go unnoticed by Lostheart. Raggedear sat very stiffly and Lostheart couldn't help thinking he looked odd . His fur was uneven and uncared for, his whiskers frayed, and the torn ear on his head gave him a very rugged appearance. _'He looks like he's ill.'_

"All right! I am pumped! Let's-"

"What does this have to do with anything?" Darkpelt suddenly snapped. He didn't want to waste his time chasing through the forest for a couple of useless rocks. Browneyes lightly flicked his brother on the shoulder, "Come on Darkpelt, it's not so bad." he reasoned.

"Yeah Darkpelt, lighten up it's not so bad!" Thistleprick echoed.

"If you're finished." Greysight cut in with growing irritation. The blind she-cat cleared her throat, "The teams will be Darkpelt and Thistleprick against Browneyes and Raggedear." she meowed smugly.

The toms' eyes widened slightly, and Browneyes looked at Greysight as if she had grown a second head.

_"What?" _Darkpelt growled.

Thistleprick had shrugged and quickly changed places with Browneyes. The silver tabby shot his brother a sympathetic look before joining Raggedear. Thistleprick laughed and flicked Darkpelt with the tip of his tail. "We totally got this!"

"Good. The contest starts...NOW!"

At the sound of her voice, Raggedear and Browneyes shot off into the trees leaving Darkpelt and Thistleprick in the clearing.

_'This is a horrible idea.' _Darkpelt thought inwardly, he could already feel his eye beginning to twitch.

"Come on Darkpelt! They're getting a head start!" Thistleprick yelled, jabbing Darkpelt roughly in the side and bounding forward after the other two toms.

* * *

"Alright, where do we look first?" Thistleprick meowed, sniffing the air slightly in an effort to pick up any leftover trace of Greysight's scent.

Darkpelt snorted and shoved past him, "That won't help. If Greysight set this up, it's not going to be that easy." There wasn't a chance in StarClan that Greysight didn't hide her scent or pawsteps. Although he didn't like to admit it, the she-cat was an experienced warrior.

Thistleprick was only half listening to Darkpelt's words. Instead, the tom's violet eyes searched their surroundings for any sign or flicker of light that a stone was nearby. The two padded side by side through the forest, focused on finding the stones. _'The faster I can get this over with the better.' _Darkpelt thought.

Thistleprick suddenly stopped abruptly in his path, and his eyes lit up with excitement. "Look Darkpelt! There's one right there!" he meowed, dashing ahead of them to where a shiny stone lay a few tail lengths ahead on the dry leaves.

Darkpelt flinched slightly at Thistleprick's outburst and glared hatefully at the tom as he ran forward to retrieve the stone, however, his eyes widened in realization and he dashed forward in an effort to stop the tom. "Thistleprick, wai-!"

But it was too late. In seconds, the ground had vanished beneath their paws and the two toms found themselves falling into a small ditch. Darkpelt landed with an audible thud and shut his eyes tightly as a layer of dirt and dried leaves came crashing down on top of him.

After a moment, the white tom pulled himself to his paws, ignoring the new sore feeling in his side. Darkpelt shook the dust off his pelt and let out a low growl, instantly turning to face Thistleprick.

"You idiot!" he hissed angrily, turning to look up out of the hole above them. Thistleprick was lying on his back, and after a few moments of silence, the tom's body shook lightly with laughter. He pulled himself up slowly and shook the dirt from his fur.

Thistleprick blinked and looked up into the dim light of the forest and laughed, "Well at least we can laugh about this later, right?"

"Don't speak to me."

* * *

It wasn't hard for Browneyes and Raggedear to find their stones, the two were nearly done. Browneyes had managed to work it out that Greysight had placed every stone within seventy fox lengths from one another. Randomly searching for stones in the forest would take forever, he knew there had to be some sort of pattern to where they were hidden.

Although Raggedear didn't say too much, Browneyes felt like he and the mottled tom got along well. Raggedear was clearly very skilled, Browneyes had watched him climb several trees and avoid Greysight's numerous tricks with ease.

"Alright, I think we only need to find one more stone and then we can go back to the training hollow." Browneyes meowed.

Raggedear nodded and looked around the area, " I think I see one up there." he meowed, turning to look up into a tall pine tree.

Browneyes followed his gaze, squinting slightly, he was able to make out the familiar pale color of a stone where it sat in a small knot on the tree. Browneyes padded up to the trunk of the tree and turned to face Raggedear once more.

"I can give you a boost."

Raggedear nodded mutedly and waited as Browneyes crouched down. After a moment's hesitation, Raggedear pounced forward and sprang off of Browneyes's back, using Browneyes's supportive push to propel him upward.

As he felt his body begin fall downward, he lurched forward and scrabbled against the pine's bark with his claws. Browneyes watched anxiously from beneath him, prepared to take action if the tom slipped or fell.

It took a moment, but Raggedear was able to securely hold on to the tree. Using all of his strength, the black tortoiseshell pulled his body upwards, fighting the push of gravity against him. The knot was only about a tail length away, he could make it.

"You're doing it!" Browneyes shouted.

Raggedear gritted his teeth as he reached forward shakily with one paw, the other trying desperately to keep him attached to the tree. _'Come on.'_

With a great amount of effort, Raggedear reached the knot and knocked the stone from it's place, sending it hurtling toward the forest floor. The stone hit the ground with a quick, audible ping and was quickly retrieved by Browneyes.

"I've got it!" Browneyes yowled, "Try to come down, I'm watching you!"

Browneyes held his breath as Raggedear slowly began to make his way back down the trunk of the tree. He gasped slightly in surprise when Raggedear pushed himself off the tree, turning in mid-air and landing behind him.

Browneyes blinked at the introverted tom in awe. "Wow, that was incredible! You and your brother must have done some training on your own, huh?" he meowed, hoping to get Raggedear to open up more.

However, the tom's reaction was not what he had expected. Raggedear had simply turned away from him and shrugged.

"I guess." he meowed, "Come on, we still have to beat them to the training hollow."

Browneyes decided not to question the tom's strange behavior and laughed. "I don't think we'll have any problems."

* * *

Darkpelt shoved through the thick branches of the brush in the swamp angrily, not bothering to hold the braches back for his _teammate _as they trudged through the mud and thick undergrowth.

"Hey, Darkpelt! Wait up!" Thistleprick yelled, rushing forward only to be smacked in the face by a branch, knocking him onto his back. Thistleprick yowled in surprise and held a paw up to his now aching face, "What was that for?!"

"Because I hate you." Darkpelt growled, glaring down at the tom lying in front of him.

"Oh come on! How was I supposed to know that wasn't a stone?" Thistleprick protested, pulling himself to his paws and rubbing his now bruised nose.

"Because it had fur you imbecile! And even _if_ it was a stone why would you throw it at me?!"

Thistleprick scoffed, "_Because,_ Darkpelt, it tried to bite me."

"So naturally throwing it in my face was the logical solution!"

"Well I thought you'd kill it!"

"I'll kill you!" Darkpelt hissed, striding towards the other tom, eyes darkened in rage.

Thistleprick backed up quickly, a weak smile on his face. "Now, now, Darkpelt." he stuttered, "Let's not get too hasty." Darkpelt paused and glared at the tom as he suddenly went quiet, looking at Darkpelt with a sort of sincerity the tom hadn't seen on him before.

"Look, I think we got off on the wrong paw here."

Darkpelt's glare never ceased, but he allowed Thistleprick to speak.

"Let's just get some of these stones so we can get back to the camp. Okay?"

Darkpelt was silent for a moment, but quickly snorted, turning away from Thistleprick. That was fine with him, he couldn't stand it out here. He hated the swamp, and he really hated Thistleprick. Darkpelt wanted nothing more than to return to camp and clean off his fur before getting a good night's sleep.

He sighed irritably as he shoved past another patch of thorny brambles. A sharp crack made Darkpelt look up in alarm, but the tom didn't have time to react as a branch came flying toward him and nailed him straight in the face. "Great StarClan!" he swore, trying to ignore the sharp pain.

Thistleprick howled with laughter and collapsed, rolling onto the ground. "IN THE FACE!" he yowled.

Darkpelt eyed the patch of brambles suspiciously. It appeared that they had been moved to hold the branch back, and when he had moved them, the branch was released. He growled angrily, knowing exactly who had set this up.

_'Never again.' _Darkpelt thought inwardly.

* * *

"What's taking them so long?" Browneyes meowed openly as he and Raggedear sat silently in the training hollow. Greysight had already grown bored and returned to camp, suggesting that they do the same. Browneyes and Raggedear both preferred to wait for their brothers, but it was getting ridiculous.

Raggedear sighed and rose to his paws, looking up through the small cracks in the canopy to see the dimming night sky. "Come on, they'll return to camp when they're finished."

Browneyes still looked doubtful, but he conceded with a small nod. "I guess you're right."

* * *

By the time Darkpelt and Thistleprick had staggered into the training hollow, the moon already hung in the center of the night sky, and the stars of Silverpelt flickered through the small gaps in the trees.

Both toms were exhausted and covered in filth, their trek through the swamp had not been a pleasant one. Dust and dirt hung on their pelts and dried mud coated their paws. Darkpelt blinked when he realized they were alone in the clearing, he couldn't believe Browneyes would just ditch him like this.

"You're back."

Darkpelt and Thistleprick looked up to see Moonfur leap down from the shadow of a nearby tree. "Greysight thought it might take you a while, so I offered to stay here and wait." Her pelt appeared to glow in the moonlight as she stepped out into the clearing and away from the cover of the forest.

"I was supposed to give you a message when you got back, but..." Moonfur trailed off awkwardly, shuffling her paws in the dirt. Darkpelt's eyes narrowed suspiciously, but Thistleprick only blinked before reacting with a loud outburst.

"Tell us! Look, we got the rocks and everything!" Thistleprick meowed excitedly, still somewhat proud of his achievement.

Moonfur sighed, "Okay..."

***FLASHBACK****************************************************************************************

"I'll wait for them here until they get back."

Greysight turned toward the pale she-cat with a look of disbelief. "You sure? It could be a while."

Moonfur shrugged, "Yeah."

"Well okay..." Greysight replied. Lostheart stood beside her, watching the exchange quietly with an unreadable expression.

A smirk broke out over Greysight's face. "Make sure you give them this message, I need you to relay this to them perfectly."

Moonfur gave a small nod, curiosity clear on her features.

"Idiots, I hope you enjoyed this little training exercise I designed. I did everything in my power to make it the worst day of your life. Especially you Darkpelt...I really don't like you. You may be a strong warrior, but your arrogance will always bring you down. Hopefully by being forced to work with another, you will have learned a lesson when it comes to teamwork. And Thistleprick...well I plain just don't like you either."

***END FLASHBACK******************************************************************************************

Darkpelt was so angry that he dug his claws into the ground and ripped out a chunk of the earth, "WHAT?!" he growled.

"I KNOW!" Thistleprick huffed, "Everybody likes me!"

Moonfur and Thistleprick could only watch as the flecked warrior stomped away in the direction of camp with his ears pressed firmly against his head. _'This whole thing was a complete waste of time! We're not kits! We shouldn't be wasting our time playing silly little games in the forest at such a critical time!' _There was also the fact that he had been forced to spend an entire day with that filthy rogue. The tom was a complete fool, he had led them in every wrong direction and seemed to find trouble in the most unexpected places.

"He seems pretty ticked..."Thistleprick meowed before turning back to Moonfur. "You know, you look stunning in the moonlight."

Moonfur rolled her eyes and shoved past him, "Come on," she meowed, "Let's go."

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**First thing to say right off the bat. This is a very lighthearted chapter, meaning I had an extremely difficult time writing it because it's not really my style. However it did have a relevance to our story. We'll pick that back up more in the next chapter and start getting into some stuff. ALSO I posted four or five new pictures onto my tumblr so you can check that out if interested. They're just some drawings/sketches I did.**

**Lost Out**

**P.S Much, MUCH DIFFICULTY.**


	27. Chapter 27: Catmint

_Greysight._

Greysight's eyes shot open, and after a short moment of collecting herself, she realized she was lying in the warriors den. The light sound of crows cawing echoed outside the den, and she could tell from the temperature of the cool air that it was already far into the morning.

She didn't realize her fur had been standing on end, but she tried to shake the feeling and stood up, stretching her legs. She sniffed the air curiously and twitched her whiskers lightly, but there were no other cats nearby.

_'That's strange...' _

Greysight couldn't help the feeling of anxiety that grew in her chest, was she going crazy? She could have sworn she had been hearing voices, that couldn't be normal. _'Maybe it's just me.' _she thought tiredly.

Greysight left the warmth of her nest and padded out of the vine-like structure and into the clearing. She could immediately tell there were only six cats in the camp. Greysight had no doubt that Darkpelt had taken out a patrol.

The tom had been furious yesterday, she figured he was trying to make up for "lost time", unfortunately for everyone else. Her ear twitched as she picked up the sound of raucous coughing coming from the elder's den. A small frown made its way across her face and she began to head in the direction of the noise.

The vibrations of approaching pawsteps made her stop as she realized they were coming towards her. It wasn't difficult to recognize Roseclaw's form or scent, Greysight could immediately tell something was wrong by the tentative way the medicine cat was approaching her.

* * *

Roseclaw's blue eyes were downcast, and she couldn't help the feeling of guilt in her chest. It was quiet for a moment as Greysight turned towards her, an almost frightened expression on her face.

Greysight swallowed back the worry she felt, "How is Longtail?" she meowed quietly, already knowing what Roseclaw was coming to speak with her about.

"...It has become a lot worse, probably the worst case of greencough I've ever seen. We've run out of catmint and there's nothing I can do."

Greysight's eyes widened, "But we have to get some! You can't just let her suffer!"

Roseclaw watched her friend sympathetically, "I know. Which is why I think it is necessary for us to travel to another clan. The other medicine cats should be able to understand. I've spoken to Sunstar, but he thinks we should wait and ask at the Gathering tomorrow night... but I don't know if she can make it that long."

Greysight felt like her head was spinning, and she immediately felt overcome by anger and frustration. Roseclaw noticed the blind she-cat's sudden change in demeanor and watched her worriedly.

Greysight gritted her teeth and turned away from Roseclaw, heading in the direction of the leader's den. The she-cat was across the camp in seconds and didn't bother to announce her presence as she stomped into the leader's den, disturbing Sunstar's nap.

"What are you doing here? Get out! You're disturbing my rest." Sunstar snapped immediately, glaring at the she-cat who chose to distract him while he was trying to fall asleep.

"We can't wait until the Gathering tomorrow, Longtail needs those herbs _now!" _she hissed. "You may not care, but I do and I'm not about to let my mother suffer."

Sunstar's eyes widened in disbelief, Greysight had never shown such disrespect towards him before. He stood up so that he was now facing Greysight at his full height, towering over the she-cat. Greysight's nonexistent gaze never faltered. _'I'm not afraid of you.'_

"We don't have to go to TreeClan." she continued, on an assumption that TreeClan was the cause of Sunstar's refusal, "I know Morningstar would be more than happy to help us, and Brisingstar as well. OceanClan has always had a strong alliance to DarkClan, and if I remember correctly, the two of you have a history together. I know they'll help us!"

"How_ dare_ you try to tell me how to lead my clan! Know your place! It was I who allowed you to become a warrior in the first place, don't forget that!" Sunstar hissed.

Greysight lowered her head so that a shadow now fell over her eyes as she dug her claws into the ground. "I know," she replied, her voice had become strangely calm, "But she's my mother...You may have never loved her, but I do! I can't believe you'd just let her die like this!" Greysight could feel her anger building.

"What's wrong with you?! All you do is shut yourself away in this forsaken rock all day, you call yourself a leader, but you do nothing! You never did anything!" Greysight hissed.

"Am I not good enough for you?! Was I ever good enough? I didn't choose to be blind, you have no idea what I went through as a kit trying to get recognition from _you!-_ And Lostheart!" she began, "Where were you when Silentshadow died?! You were never there. Instead of being there for her, you shut her out. But not just from yourself, from everyone!"

Greysight's head shot up, revealing her furious eyes, the strain evident in her voice.

"Did you ever bother to ask her how she felt?! Did you ever even think about how she might feel?!"

Sunstar's face was contorted in rage, his normally vibrant green eyes as dark as the dead moss beneath him. A low growl rumbled in his throat and he opened his mouth in an attempt to reply to the blind she-cat when Greysight cut him off.

"If it was Silentshadow you would have gone in a heartbeat!" she shouted. Sunstar's enraged face froze at her words, and his tense structure began to slowly relax.

"Don't speak about what you don't know." he hissed darkly, turning away from Greysight. "Have it your way, go to OceanClan and speak with Brisingstar, I don't care. just get out of my sight!" he sneered.

Greysight gritted her teeth together, holding back the thoughts going through her head and raced out of the leader's den. She knew she had gone too far with that last comment, but she couldn't believe Sunstar was being so cruel.

Roseclaw had been waiting for her outside, and instantly rose to her paws with a feeling of worry as she saw the expression on Greysight's face. She had been sitting too far away to hear the exchange between the two, but she knew it couldn't be a good thing.

"What did he say?" Roseclaw asked eagerly.

"We're going to OceanClan. Find Lostheart and Mintpaw, they're coming with me. I want you to stay here with Longtail, hopefully Tidepool will understand and give the herbs to Mintpaw."

Roseclaw nodded quickly, "Okay, I'll be right back!" She knew Mintpaw was in the medicine cat, but she wasn't sure where to find Lostheart. _'I'll get Mintpaw first.' _she decided.

Just as she thought, the young siamese was lying in the medicine cat with a disheartened expression on her face. Roseclaw knew Mintpaw was going through a tough time right now with Longtail being so sick.

Her approach made Mintpaw look up, and the she-cat's eyes brightened slightly.

"Sunstar has given the order for us to ask OceanClan for the catmint," Roseclaw began, "I have to stay here and take care of Longtail, would you be willing to go in my place?"

Mintpaw's eyes widened slightly, surprised that Roseclaw was entrusting her with such an important task. "Of course!" she stuttered, a feeling of hope re-surfacing in her chest. _'If I get the catmint, Mom will get better!'_

Roseclaw smiled fondly, "Greysight is waiting for you at the camp entrance, you better hurry."

Mintpaw gasped and nodded her head, I'll get the catmint, I promise!" she meowed as she ran out of the medicine cat den.

Roseclaw padded out after the apprentice and gazed around the camp, _'Where are you Lostheart?'_

She began to feel worried that she wouldn't be able to find her sister in time, but she let out a breath of relief as a flash of red caught her eye and she was able to locate Lostheart lying in one of her favorite shaded places.

The she-cat's fur was so dark that she blended right in. Roseclaw padded over quickly, not wanting to waste any time.

"Sunstar has ordered Greysight to ask OceanClan for herbs, Greysight wants you to go with her and Mintpaw."

Lostheart said nothing and stood up, turning so that she could see where Greysight and Mintpaw were waiting for her at the camp's entrance.

"Hey, Lostheart..."

Lostheart blinked and returned her gaze to Roseclaw. The white she-cat looked extremely tired, and Lostheart could tell something was bothering her. It was unusual to see her with such a broken expression.

"What is it?" Lostheart asked.

Roseclaw averted her eyes and shifted uncomfortably for a moment under her sister's gaze. "Do you think I'm a good medicine cat? It's just...I never seem to help anybody."

Roseclaw thought back to the day when she was unable to save Blizzardpelt, the she-cat had bled to death because of her. Now Longtail was sick, and she felt completely useless.

"It's not your fault we don't have any herbs. You may be young, but you're doing a great job as medicine cat, I know Mosspelt would be proud of you."

Roseclaw's eyes fell and she didn't appear to feel any better from Lostheart's words. "Lostheart, there's...something else too..."

Lostheart gave no reaction as Roseclaw looked away in shame. "I probably should have told you sooner...I'm afraid Sunstar won't let me be the medicine cat if he found out, so I've kept it to myself...It's just..." Roseclaw trailed off as if it was difficult for her to say.

The white she-cat sighed, "I've never received a dream from StarClan, I lied." She closed her eyes, fearing what kind of reaction her words would cause.

"I know."

Roseclaw blinked and she looked up at Lostheart in disbelief.

"It doesn't matter, you're our medicine cat. When we're sick or injured, you're the one who cares for us, and you always have. Don't worry about it."Lostheart meowed, padding past her sister to join Greysight. "I've never thought any differently of you.."

Roseclaw watched Lostheart pad away, the fact that Lostheart had known all along shocked her. _'Why didn't you say anything?' _

Roseclaw immediately felt guilty for never having told her. She was surprised Lostheart wasn't angry at her, but quickly shook her head, a small smile coming over her face.

No, Lostheart wasn't like that.

* * *

Lostheart knew Greysight and Mintpaw both had a lot riding on this, they had to get the herbs, failure wasn't an option. She thought back to her exchange with Roseclaw and wondered why her sister had chose now to tell her.

When Roseclaw had first told her she was going to become a medicine cat, Lostheart was doubtful. Especially since Roseclaw didn't have any clan blood, however, she never thought too much on it. It wasn't until later when she was talking to Greysight after a training session that the she-cat mentioned it, assuming Roseclaw would have told her sister.

Lostheart never said anything then, but she was a little hurt that Roseclaw had kept it from her. It seemed like the she-cat had completely forgotten about her after their mom died. Roseclaw had befriended Greysight, and she was left alone.

Greysight was leading them to the OceanClan border with a quick pace in her step. Lostheart could already taste the salt in the air and hear the sound of the ocean as they approached the end of their territory.

"Now we wait." Lostheart meowed. The three cats stood at the edge of the forest, looking out at the broad expanse of sand and water ahead of them. It wouldn't be long until an OceanClan patrol came by.

* * *

Darkpelt, Thistleprick and Raggedear padded back into camp after running a patrol over the entire expanse of DarkClan's territory. The first thing they came to realize was that Moonfur was sitting alone by the fresh kill pile.

Browneyes was eating a mouse in the clearing, but he looked up when he noticed the return of the other toms. He could see the way Darkpelt's eyes were scanning the camp and knew he wouldn't be pleased with the clan's recent developments.

Thistleprick and Raggedear exchanged glances as the tom let out an annoyed growl and padded towards Moonfur. The pale she-cat didn't appear to be too thrilled when Darkpelt came over and began glowering down at her.

"Where are the other she-cats?"

"Sunstar sent them to OceanClan." Moonfur replied, nonchalantly.

"_What? _Why?" Darkpelt demanded.

"Roseclaw needs more catmint to take care of Longtail, there isn't any left on our territory, so Sunstar sent Greysight, Mintpaw, and Lostheart to ask OceanClan for some more."

Darkpelt grumbled something under his breath and padded toward the leader's den. Moonfur didn't bother watching him go.

Raggedear and Thistleprick padded up to Moonfur, but Thistleprick appeared to be distracted and was looking around the camp as if searching for something.

"Hey, where's Roseclaw?" he asked curiously.

"Roseclaw is taking care of Longtail, don't go bothering her, she's busy." Moonfur meowed seriously.

"I won't, thanks Moonfur." he meowed, padding away and giving her a slight flick of his tail. Raggedear sighed and sat down where he stood, tired from traveling around the territory.

"It's really sweet the way you're always looking after him." Moonfur meowed happily.

Raggedear let out a small laugh and Moonfur swore she could see a small smirk quirk in the corner of his mouth. A silence overtook the two cats leaving Moonfur feeling extremely awkward.

Her gaze flickered to the tom from the corner of her eye and she quickly looked away when Raggedear caught her gaze. Her pelt heated up in embarrassment at being caught watching him, and she averted her eyes, choosing to look at anything but the tom.

"GET OUT!"

The silence was broken as the sound of Roseclaw's angry screech pierced the air. Moonfur and Raggedear both looked toward the elder's den curiously as Thistleprick was pushed roughly out, falling onto his back.

"Alright, I'll see you later then." Thistleprick meowed, pulling himself to his paws, seemingly unaffected by Roseclaw's response.

He laughed and padded over to the pair, choosing to sit beside his brother. Browneyes and Darkpelt came over to join them as well and eat their fresh kill as the clan waited for Greysight's return.

The cats mostly ate in silence until Thistleprick decided to speak up. "You know Darkpelt, I feel like having a mate would help you chill out some."

Darkpelt snorted, ignoring the tortoiseshell's remark. "She-cats do not hold the same fascination for me as they do for _you._"

Thistleprick only laughed, and took another bite of his vole. Browneyes had been worried that Darkpelt would get angry, but he was able to relax as he saw the tom's reaction. He smiled to himself, happy that Darkpelt was beginning to open up more.

Despite what he may say, Browneyes knew Darkpelt liked spending time with the other cats, if he didn't then why would he bother to sit with them?

Raggedear had remained silent, and Browneyes watched him curiously when he realized the tom hadn't taken a bite to eat for quite some time.

"Are you okay Raggedear?"

At the sound of Browneyes's question, Thistleprick turned to look at his brother as well. Raggedear blinked and looked up, noticing the way the other cats were now watching him.

Thistleprick laughed, "He's just tired, why don't you go for a walk Raggedear?"

Raggedear nodded mutedly and stood up, padding away from the group.

"I'll go too," Moonfur meowed, "I could use a walk myself."

Thistleprick stood up, blocking her path, "Come on Moonfur, don' leave me here with these toms." he meowed good naturedly.

Moonfur rolled her separately colored eyes and stepped past him, "I think I'll pass." she meowed. However, she blinked as Thistleprick stopped her again. "He's really tired, you should stay here."

Moonfur looked past Thistleprick to the space where Raggedear had retreated into the forest. "I think something is bothering him, I want to talk to him."

Moonfur was surprised when she saw a flash of annoyance in the tom's violet eyes, but it was quickly covered by his familiar grin. "He's fine. Me on the other hand, _I_ could really use someone to talk to."

Moonfur quirked a brow at Thistleprick's odd behavior. "I don't think so. I'm serious, I really think I should-"

"Moonfur, don't."

Moonfur blinked, surprised at the serious tone that had suddenly come over Thistleprick's voice. "Okay, fine." she meowed, a bit worried by the way the tom was acting.

"Promise?" he meowed, eyeing her suspiciously. It was clear he didn't believe her.

"I promise."

* * *

**AUTHOR'SNOTE**

**Admittedly this is a pretty crappy chapter :I Ugh, sorry about that, I'm such a fail writer. I think I mentioned in the previous chap I uploaded some little pics to my tumblr, but if I didn't then there ya go**


	28. Chapter 28: OceanClan

Mintpaw sat quietly on a small boulder as she watched the distant sand for any sign of OceanClan cats. Greysight stood anxiously by her side, her claws drumming against the earth. If anyone were to sense the arrival of the OceanClan cats, Greysight would be the first.

Lostheart was watching for movement as well, but instead she chose to focus more on Greysight. When she finally saw the blind she-cat beginning to perk up, she knew Greysight had caught something.

"Are they coming?" asked Lostheart.

"Yes, I can sense a small group heading this way. There's three-no, four cats." Greysight meowed, taking an extra sniff of the air. Lostheart stepped to the edge of the border beside Greysight while Mintpaw leapt off of the boulder and stood behind the older she-cats, waiting nervously.

Lostheart's eyes narrowed as four dark figures appeared at the top of a large sand dune, silhouetted by the sunlight, and preventing her from seeing their faces. Almost instantaneously, a yowl sounded from the OceanClan cats and the group began rapidly approaching their trio.

As they got closer, Lostheart was able to recognize a few familiar faces, in particular that of the OceanClan deputy, Hawkmask. The OceanClan cats were suspicious to be sure, but Hawkmask only regarded them with a calm greeting.

"Hello, Lostheart." she meowed, addressing the other deputy, "Greysight."

Greysight gave a curt nod, but said nothing more. She knew that Lostheart would have to do most of the talking if they wanted to get the herbs. It was clear to Hawkmask that the group had been waiting for a passing patrol, the only question was why?

"We need you to take us to see Tidepool, its official medicine cat business." Lostheart meowed.

Hawkmask regarded the she-cat with hesitation, trying to avoid her unnatural gaze. "Medicine cat business you say? I don't see Roseclaw with you."

The cats behind Hawkmask nodded their agreement and looked to each other in confirmation. "She couldn't come. In fact, that's the reason we're here." Greysight meowed. "One of our cats is very sick and Roseclaw couldn't afford to leave her uncared for." Greysight turned around to face Mintpaw. She nodded supportively and gestured for Mintpaw to step up beside her in front of the OceanClan deputy.

The apprentice swallowed back her anxiety and padded up to her Greysight's side, happy to find comfort in being with her sister. "Yes, I'm Mintpaw, Roseclaw's apprentice. Leafbare is here and there is no more catmint on our territory, our stores are completely empty and we have none left. We'd like to talk to Tidepool and ask to borrow some herbs."

A young gray and white tom from behind Hawkmask gasped and looked to his mentor in disbelief. "They can't do that!" Hawkmask silenced the apprentice behind her with a quick flick of her tail and a sharp look toward his mentor. The apprentice shrunk back in embarrassment and returned to watching the DarkClan cats.

It was unusual for the clans to seek help from each other, but it did happen from time to time. Hawkmask doubted the DarkClan cats were lying, and if they were trying to launch an attack, there wasn't much three cats could do. It was true that they could be trying to spy, but she doubted Sunstar would have anything to gain from that.

Hawkmask met Lostheart's eyes briefly and nodded in compliance. "You will have to speak with Brisingstar, come with us and we'll take you to the camp."

Greysight and Lostheart merely nodded and followed after the she-cat. The OceanClan warriors fell in step around the DarkClan cats, watching them with apprehension. They weren't too happy with having to take two of DarkClan's darkest and most powerful warriors into their camp. Greysight didn't like the feeling of being boxed in between the OceanClan cats, it put her on edge and her paws twitched anxiously as she stepped through the heavy sand. Mintpaw, on the other hand, felt her pelt prickle with excitement. She had never been in another clan's camp before, she wondered if it was anything like DarkClan's.

Hawkmask led the group briskly over the sand dunes, Mintpaw struggled to keep up with the she-cats in front of her. She wasn't used to walking in the sand and was surprised at how difficult it was to push off the ground. _'OceanClan cats must have really strong legs.'_

It wasn't until they came to the top of a particularly large dune that Lostheart was able to see the camp. OceanClan's camp lay in a flat area, surrounded by grassy sand dunes. She could see large openings at the base of the dunes and was surprised to see a cat crawl out into the sunlight. It reminded her of a fox's den. Greysight and Mintpaw had been observing the camp as well when Hawkmask's voice re-captured their attention.

"Come on." she meowed.

They were led down the hill and padded through a small gap between two hills and into the camp. Greysight and Lostheart's unfamiliar dark pelts caught the attention of several cats and many began to come out of their dens and watch the group from a distance. Their eyes were filled with curiosity and uncertainty. Brisingstar himself was plucking a fish from a large pile of fresh kill when he laid eyes on the DarkClan cats.

Lostheart could see from a quick flash in the leader's deep blue eyes that he wasn't too pleased. Brisingstar set the fish back down and padded around the pile to stand before the group. "What is the meaning of this Hawkmask?" he meowed, peering past her to get another good look at the DarkClan cats.

"They were waiting at the border, apparently they have a proposition for you." Hawkmask meowed, turning towards Lostheart, Greysight, and Mintpaw. Lostheart and Greysight faced the leader emotionlessly, purely focused on getting the herbs they needed.

"One of our clanmates is sick, and we don't have the proper herbs on our territory to cure her. We were hoping that Tidepool wouldn't mind giving us some catmint." Mintpaw squeaked from beside Greysight.

Brisingstar eyed the small she-cat curiously, if Sunstar had to send cats to another clan it must be really bad. Absentmindedly, he wondered who it could be. Sunstar was an old friend of his, and he could never forget the help Sunstar had offered him when they were younger. Perhaps if it wasn't for the golden tom he wouldn't be a leader today.

"I have no qualms with DarkClan, if Tidepool has enough catmint to share, I see no reason why we cannot let you take some."

Mintpaw felt like a huge weight had suddenly drifted from her shoulders, "Thank you, Brisingstar." she meowed, dipping her head respectfully.

"It's nothing. Come, follow me and I'll take you to the medicine cat den." Brisingstar meowed, waving away the OceanClan warriors surrounding the DarkClan cats with a flick of his tail. Mintpaw smiled happily and followed the OceanClan leader, pleased with the idea of seeing Tidepool again.

Lostheart padded silently after them, ignoring the stares she knew were burning into her pelt as the OceanClan cats whispered amongst each other. As she walked by, two toms stepped in front of one of the dens, narrowing their eyes at Lostheart in a threatening gesture. The sound of mewling coming from inside confirmed her suspicions that it was the nursery. The apprentices kept their distance, but Lostheart could seem them whispering amongst each other with wide eyes.

Greysight was happy to feel the release of pressure from the OceanClan warriors and kept up beside her sister, right now all she wanted to do was hurry and get the herbs and bring them back to Longtail.

Brisingstar instructed them to wait outside with Hawkmask while he got Tidepool. Seconds later, the white she-cat's familiar face appeared from the den, her wavy black stripes shimmering in the sunlight.

"Mintpaw!" she purred, "It's good to see you, where is Roseclaw?" Brisingstar cleared his throat from beside the medicine cat, fixing his deep blue eyes on the she-cats. "One of the DarkClan cats is very sick, and DarkClan does not have the proper herbs to cure them."

Tidepool's eyes widened slightly and she looked at Mintpaw sympathetically, "That's horrible! What do you need?"

Tidepool looked up from Mintpaw, finally noticing the other two she-cats accompanying her. Her pelt prickled as she met their eerie gazes. Sunstar had certainly sent Mintpaw well protected. Tidepool tried to ignore the two darker she-cats and the strange chill on her spine.

"Catmint." Mintpaw replied, "We don't have any more on our territory."

Mintpaw's voice distracted Tidepool and she quickly nodded, "I do have a few blades I could spare. I'll go get them for you."

"Thank you, Tidepool."

Lostheart didn't liked the way Tidepool's demeanor had suddenly changed when she laid eyes on her and Greysight. The blind she-cat didn't appear to be bothered by it, Greysight was lucky she didn't have to see things like that.

"Here you are." Tidepool had returned and placed a small bundle of grasses at Mintpaw's paws. The Siamese thanked her and carefully picked up the grass between her teeth.

After saying their farewells, Brisingstar had a group of warriors lead them back to the border. Now the three she-cats were hurrying back towards the camp. Greysight's stomach churned with anxiety.

_'I hope we haven't wasted too much time.'_


	29. Chapter 29: Preparations

Greysight stood outside the elder's den with a heavy feeling in her heart, it had been a long time and Roseclaw had yet to come out. She made Mintpaw go eat with the others, but didn't feel like going herself. The other cats could tell it wasn't good time to mess with her, so they left her alone.

She could feel Roseclaw moving around in the den, but she had no idea how things were going. _'I feel so useless...'_

"Greysight?"

Greysight's ear twitched and she realized Roseclaw was now standing in front of her, the medicine cat sounded surprised. "How long have you been waiting here?"

"Doesn't matter, how's Longtail?"

"She's doing much better." Roseclaw replied, noticing how quickly Greysight became relieved. "I gave her the herbs and she's resting right now."

"Thanks Roseclaw, I don't know what I'd do without you."

Roseclaw closed her eyes briefly and shook her head, "Don't thank me. If it wasn't for you, Sunstar would have never let us get the herbs from another clan." Although Roseclaw didn't know exactly what had happened between Sunstar and Greysight in the leader's den, she knew it must have been pretty drastic for Sunstar to allow them to go to OceanClan.

Greysight shrugged, "I guess..."

Roseclaw could tell how tired Greysight was, and she wasn't surprised. The blind she-cat must have been worrying all day. Roseclaw considered asking Greysight what she had said to Sunstar , but she decided against it. She had a feeling Greysight would avoid the question anyway, but that was alright, she didn't need to know.

"You should rest too, it isn't good to stress yourself out." Roseclaw meowed. "Go on." She nudged Greysight in the shoulder and smiled.

Greysight sighed, "Fine. You're just lucky you get a den to yourself." '_If Thistleprick tries anything I swear...'_

Greysight walked towards the warriors den, not bothering to grab any fresh kill. She didn't feel hungry anyway. It was relatively early, so none of the other warriors were in their nests yet. Which turned out to be lucky for Greysight, she didn't think she'd be able to fall asleep if they were.

* * *

Greysight found herself coughing, the air around her was thick and difficult to breathe in. It smelled horrible, and she fought to find and breath of clean air around her.

She didn't understand what was happening. She couldn't see anything around her and the sound of screaming and crackling filled her ears. Her pelt burned with an intense heat, causing her discomfort to rise.

She had to escape, to get away from all this. She found herself gasping for air as she ran forward, the sound of cats screaming as she ran past, but she couldn't escape. A great bout of coughing overtook her, her chest heaving, desperate for air.

The heat was almost unbearable now, Greysight could only let out a gasp as it overtook her completely.

* * *

Greysight woke up with a jolt, breathing deeply with her chilled pelt. Her sudden movement caught the attention of the other cats in the den and they looked at her strangely. In particular, Raggedear and Thistleprick.

She stood up and shook off her pelt in an effort to get rid of the horrible feeling she felt in her dream. She had never experienced anything like that before, not to mention it had been a while since her last dream and they had always been consistent. Why were they suddenly changing now?

She didn't bother saying anything to the two tortoiseshells as she brushed past them, she had more important things to do. There were patrols she needed to go on and she had to make sure Longtail was okay, the Gathering was tonight as well.

_'First things first, I need to find Roseclaw.'_

Focusing on the ground around her and the scents hanging in the air, she was able to locate the fluffy white she-cat near the stream. Greysight wasted no time in padding over, fully intent on finding out about Longtail's current status.

"Roseclaw, how is Longtail?" she meowed, causing the medicine cat to jump. After realizing it was only Greysight, Roseclaw allowed herself to relax."Why don't you ask her yourself?" she replied, turning towards the fresh kill pile.

Greysight felt her change in direction and focused toward the area. Sure enough, Longtail lay in the clearing, eating a piece of fresh kill. A wide smile broke out on Greysight's face as she prepared to dash over, but she stopped as a sudden thought came over her.

"Wait. I thought I was supposed to go on hunting patrol today?"

Roseclaw shrugged, "Mintpaw wanted to go this morning, and Lostheart said she didn't mind. Which reminds me, Lostheart said something about doing the evening patrol later as well, so I guess that means you have a free day!"

Greysight blinked, and nodded, "I guess so," she meowed, "But for now I'm going to go see Longtail, I'll see you later!"

Greysight dashed over to where Longtail lay in the clearing, surprising the older Siamese. "Mom!" she meowed, touching her forehead briefly to Longtail's, "It's good to see you out of your den, how are you feeling?"

Longtail laughed lightly. "Well I couldn't stay in that stuffy pile of sticks for too long, the fresh air is nice. I'm feeling much better now." she wheezed, coughing shortly after finishing her sentence.

Greysight still had a small look of concern expressed across her features, "I'm glad."

It touched Longtail's heart that her daughters were so concerned about her. Roseclaw had told her how Greysight had gone to speak with Sunstar on her own and convinced him to get the herbs for her. Then she and Mintpaw had both traveled to OceanClan.

_'I may not have ever had the perfect mate, but I couldn't wish for better daughters...'_

"I know you're busy with your warrior duties, you don't have to spend your time with an old she-cat like me." she meowed.

Greysight rolled her blank eyes, "I'll always have time for you, besides, I have the day off. Why don't we go for a walk, it'll be good for your leg." She stepped toward Longtail's side and helped the she-cat to her paws, catching her when her bad leg slipped.

"Thank you." Longtail muttered bitterly, clearly frustrated with herself. It was difficult for the she-cat to accept her new way of living and having to depend on others, it wasn't something she was used to.

"So about that walk?" Greysight asked.

Longtail shook her head and coughed once, "I'm sorry, Greysight, but I really just want to rest right now." Greysight could hear Longtail's ragged breathing and the strain in her voice, she had to remember that her mother was still sick.

"Okay, at least let me help you to your den."

* * *

Greysight let out a relieved breath as she entered the clearing once more, happy that she was able to help Longtail. _'Now what do I do?' _

She considered going to see Mintpaw, but she knew the medicine cats often went through their lessons at this time of day. Straining her ears, she was able to pick up on the steady flow of conversation emanating from the medicine cat den. _'I better not bother them.'_

* * *

Lostheart and Browneyes had decided to split up and run their patrol on each half of the territory on their own to get things done quicker in time for the Gathering. She had the job of patrolling the OceanClan border, a task that wasn't too exciting.

She enjoyed watching the waves though. Even if it was from a distance, she could see them clearly. Their rolls crashed into the shore, the water attempting to hold onto the land before it was pulled back by an unseen force. Then it did it again and again, never giving up despite it's constant failures.

Lostheart took in a breath of salty air from the edge of the forest before retreating back into the shadows she was so familiar with. The Gathering was tonight, and they had to be ready for anything. No doubt the topic of Fallenstep's untimely disappearance would arise. Despite Sunstar's distant nature, the tom always made an effort to act superior in the face of his brother, reassuring her that he would be able to handle the situation.

Her path took her past the swamp, a bit of territory that she tried to avoid most of the time. It wasn't safe, not only because of the unpredictable landscape, but it's proximity to the twolegplace as well. Memories of her encounter with the twolegs still stuck with her to this day, at first she had felt fear. Fear of the strange and unknown, but over time, she became curious.

Why had they been in the forest? What did they do to her, and why did they do it?

She didn't think she would ever know the answer, but she found herself thinking about the twolegs. Most cats said that twolegs were strange creatures that never did anything that made sense, but she couldn't but feel like they had a purpose for what they did.

Shaking her head free from the thoughts of the twolegs, Lostheart continued on, eager to return to camp and get some fresh kill. As she stepped across the leaves, another sound reached her ears besides that of her paws. It was faint, but she could pick up on the sound of voices.

Lostheart blinked, wondering who would be out this far near the swamp. As far as she knew, all the cats were in camp or on hunting patrol. She decided not to think too much on it and padded forward, the noise increasing as she became closer.

She was stepping through the trees when a bright flash of color from her side caught her eye, hidden among the trees and undergrowth. A flash of movement and the sound of cats moving made her turn completely. Lostheart blinked as she laid eyes on Raggedear and Thistleprick, but the two toms stood calmly in the forest talking before heading back into the trees..

_'That's strange, I could've sworn...' _

She had only gotten a brief glance, but it looked like the toms were about to attack each other. Lostheart frowned, were her eyes playing tricks on her? She turned back to her original path on the way to camp, tucking away the scene in the back of her mind. Something was definitely strange about those two.


	30. Chapter 30: The Merge

"Let's go over the rules again shall we?"

Thistleprick groaned and rolled his head back immaturely. Greysight shot him a harsh look causing the tortoiseshell to sigh. "No talking about where we came from, no talking to she-cats, no talking about what's going on in the clan, no talking about our clanmates, and no talking when the leaders are talking." Thistleprick took a short pause, "Can I even talk at all?"

"No."

Greysight padded away from Thistleprick and towards the other tortoiseshell that sat near the side of the warriors den. Right now, DarkClan was preparing to leave for the Gathering. Browneyes offered to stay in camp with Longtail, and Greysight was making sure the newcomers knew what _not_ to do.

Raggedear sat away from the others, causing Greysight to wonder why he was being so distant. "Hey Raggedear, I thought I'd go over what to do at the Gathering again, but you've probably got it. You're a lot more competent than your brother."

Raggedear was silent for a moment. "...How many clans are there again?" he asked.

"Four," Greysight replied casually, "Including us. Then there's OceanClan, TreeClan, and LightClan; but not all the cats go to the Gathering. We do it in an effort to fit in, our clan is the smallest."

Raggedear nodded, making Greysight nod her head appreciatively. "Good. We're going to head out now, it looks like Sunstar is already on his way."

Raggedear blinked and looked past Greysight, sure enough, the golden tom was already making his way toward the tree tunnel with their group of cats following behind him. He decided not to question how Greysight knew that, a part of him already knew that the blind she-cat was different from most.

Together the group followed Sunstar into the forest, prepared to take on any challenges that this Gathering might throw at them.

* * *

Greysight became tense as they approached Fourtrees, it wasn't far now, only a few fox-lengths ahead. She could feel the movement of numerous cats, and could tell that the other three clans had already gathered.

Would Willowstar say anything about Fallenstep? Would Sunstar? Would the other clans realize they had been taking rogues into their clan? Would Brisingstar mention their trip to OceanClan?

She found herself becoming more worried as they approached, but it was too late to turn back now. As they stepped into the ring of trees, she could feel the cats turning to look at them. Greysight was so nervous she was beginning to pick up on her own fear scent.

_'Wait-' _That wasn't her fear scent! Greysight tried to pinpoint the location of the cat giving off such fearful vibes, but was distracted as several cats shouldered past her and her clanmates began to disperse among the crowd.

Lostheart hung back as the cats began to take their places or go off to speak with friends from the other clans. It was easy for her to pick out Roseclaw's snowy white pelt moving throughout the crowd with Mintpaw toward where the medicine cats sat, no doubt to thank Tidepool for her help.

As she watched her sister move through the cats, Lostheart began to feel like she was being watched. She blinked and turned to her side to see Eagleclaw and Nettlewhisker looking at her, their eyes filled with...disbelief? When their eyes met, the two toms suddenly turned away and began muttering to each other.

She watched as Eagleclaw shoved his brother away, growling something which Lostheart had no doubt was along the lines of "shut up Nettlewhisker" and stalked away toward the side where most of the TreeClan cats were gathered.

_'That was weird...'_

Lostheart didn't see any other sign of the three traitorous siblings or Pineneedle in the crowd while she waited. She tried to stay as far back into the shadows as possible, but as always, she could still see the new apprentices looking at her in fear. Some things never changed.

* * *

"I really appreciate it Tidepool, DarkClan really owes you one."

"It was nothing Roseclaw, I just hope that your clanmate is feeling better now." Tidepool meowed kindly, smiling down at Mintpaw. She knew Roseclaw must be proud of her apprentice, and she could see the DarkClan medicine cat apprentice was practically radiating pride herself from the grin on her face.

Petalwing and Hazeltail were there as well, along with Hazeltail's apprentice Owlpaw. The young tabby apprentice looked to his mentor distastefully, "Clans shouldn't share herbs, StarClan made it so that we all get our share in our territory. Right, Hazeltail?" he meowed.

The chestnut-colored she-cat blinked in surprise and shuffled her paws awkwardly, shooting her apprentice a harsh look. It was clear the apprentice had been quoting something he had heard in TreeClan.

The other medicine cats ignored the apprentice's remark and returned to their conversation. Petalwing turned to Tidepool, "How is the tide? From the edge of the cliffs-"

"Hey there! Are these your friends or something?"

Roseclaw guffawed as Thistleprick suddenly appeared by her side, grinning mischievously. He sat close enough to her so that their pelts were brushing up against each other, causing Roseclaw to heat up in embarrassment in front of the other medicine cats.

Petalwing, Tidepool, and Hazeltail all looked extremely surprised at the strange tom's sudden appearance. Unbeknownst to each other, they were each trying to place which clan he was from, but they couldn't recall ever seeing him before.

"_Thistleprick."_ Roseclaw growled through a tightly gritted smile. Thistleprick seemed to get the hint and leaned off her side, giving the other medicine cats his full attention. Hazeltail shot Roseclaw a dirty look, clearly getting the wrong idea.

Roseclaw felt like screaming. Petalwing and Tidepool blinked and laughed in an effort to escape the awkwardness that now hung over the group. Petalwing smiled, "I thought I knew every cat, but I'm afraid I don't know you." she meowed. "Thistleprick, is it?"

"That's me. I'm from DarkClan, Rosie's favorite patient, right?" he meowed, turning towards the she-cat with shining violet eyes.

Was he trying to make it obvious?! That and he was ruining her credibility as a medicine cat, Hazeltail was already giving her a look that made the white she-cat uncomfortable.

Roseclaw let out a fake laugh, "Shouldn't you be with your _brother_?" she meowed, giving him a signal with her eyes. '_Leave'._

Thistleprick followed her gaze to where Raggedear sat among the crowd of cats. The tortoiseshell tom blended right in among the cats and sat stiffly watching the Greatrock for the meeting to start.

Thistleprick opened his mouth to reply, but was cut off by a yowl from the Greatrock. It appeared that the leaders had finally decided to start the meeting. While the others were distracted, Roseclaw shoved the tom away.

"_Go._" she mouthed.

Thistleprick complied with a small grin and padded towards Raggedear, looking away from Roseclaw as he sat beside his brother.

Lostheart padded out from the shadows to get a better look now that everyone else was watching the leaders as well. Inside, she felt a small wave of shock as the leaders padded to the front of the stone. Morningstar looked horrible!

The normally bright and shining leader looked dull and lifeless. Dark rims could be seen under her eyes and she suddenly appeared more thin and fragile than she ever had before. Lostheart's eyes instinctually drifted to Sunstar and she could see that his gaze had hardened as well. No doubt for the same reason.

She also found it strange that she hadn't heard anything about Fallenstep, not even from the TreeClan cats. It was almost as if the tom had never existed. Thoughts of Fallenstep brought her to a new question, who was the new TreeClan deputy?

Peering over the cats, Lostheart looked toward the bottom of the Greatrock. Despite herself, Lostheart was not surprised to see the new cat sitting among the deputies.

It was none other than Pineneedle, Willowstar's own son. _'Of course.' _

The crowd was silent as they waited for one of their leaders to speak. The four cats glanced at one another for a moment before Morningstar stepped slowly forward to the edge of the stone.

"Cats of all clans, I have an announcement..." she meowed, her voice clearly strained. Morningstar's normally bright eyes were jaded, "LightClan has decided to join with TreeClan-"

Yowls of shock and protest erupted from the crowd, cutting Morningstar off. Thistleprick and Raggedear looked at each other in confusion, the two toms had no idea what was happening.

Sunstar couldn't believe it. His eyes drifted to Willowstar, but the tom gave barely any reaction at all. However, Sunstar could see the familiar pleased sheen in his eyes. Sunstar turned back to Morningstar, regret and guilt running through his mind. _'Morningstar...How could he?'_

Sunstar could feel his anger beginning to grow, how dare he! He had no right!

Brisingstar stepped forward and made a move to silence the noisy crowd. "Silence!" he yowled, voice booming across the clearing. Morningstar blinked and turned toward the furious looking tom.

"What is the meaning of this?! There has always been four clans in the forest! It is the way of our ancestors and our code, you can't just decide to form together!"

Willowstar's eyes gleamed as the narrow slits rolled over toward Brisingstar. "Actually," he drawled, "There was always three."

Brisingstar ignored Willowstar and instead focused on Morningstar. "This isn't right, the code-"

"Says nothing about two clans coming together." Morningstar meowed. "Calm yourself Brisingstar...this was my decision. What LightClan does is none of OceanClan's concern."

The brown patterned tom was shocked to hear Morningstar's words and was turned into a state of disbelief. He blinked and turned towards Sunstar, "Don't you have anything to say about this?!"

The cats in the crowd could only look up and watch their leaders anxiously. Lostheart could feel her own worry beginning to rise as well. It was only now as she looked around the clearing that she realized there were barely any LightClan cats even here.

"Look! Look at the moon!"

A cat's yowl from the crowd caused the clans to look up at the sky. A few gasps could be heard as cats saw the shadow now beginning to stretch over the glowing white orb. Brisingstar blinked briefly and returned his gaze to Sunstar.

The golden tom said nothing causing Brisingstar's deep blue eyes to widen slightly before shaking his head. "I won't say I accept this, but I know there is nothing I can do." he growled. "Do what you want then."

Brisingstar was no fool, there was no way OceanClan would be able to fight both LightClan and TreeClan at the same time. Besides, fighting would accomplish nothing. The OceanClan leader stepped back, choosing not to speak any further.

Lostheart watched as the shadows covering the moon slowly receded. StarClan had never done something like this before, the clans' fighting must have upset the truce.

Once he had stepped down, Willowstar wasted no time in taking his place. The large tom looked down upon the clearing, his shadow stretching over the crowd.

"Yes, TreeClan and LightClan are one now. And in being so, so too is our territory. Morningstar and I rule side-by-side." he meowed. "I also have important news. During the past moon, our deputy Fallenstep went rogue, and I fear the tom has lost any sense of reason. I warn you to be careful and keep a watch on your territories. I fear he was never able to fully adjust to clan life."

From down in the clearing, Greysight couldn't believe what she was hearing, _'Went rogue?! That's a load of foxdung!' _ Or was it?

"The new deputy of TreeClan is Pineneedle." Cheers erupted from the TreeClan section of the clearing, and Lostheart could see Nettlewhisker, Eagleclaw, and several other toms congratulating the tabby.

"Three of our apprentices have also become warriors, and TreeClan is happy to accept the new litter of kits that has joined our clan this moon."

Willowstar took a step back, and turned his head to look at Sunstar. The ghost of an eerie smile growing on his face.

Sunstar looked past his brother and stepped to the edge of the rock, mouth set into a firm line. "DarkClan is well. Like TreeClan, we are proud to accept two new warriors. Thistleprick and Raggedear." he meowed, looking down at the two tortoiseshells.

The two toms went rigid from where they sat in the crowd as cats began to turn and look at them. Thistleprick could feel his brother's breath hitch from beside him.

However, the cats' attention was suddenly distracted as laughter erupted from the Great Rock. Thistleprick blinked and looked up to see the cat with the wild fur from before laughing darkly. Willowstar's mouth stretched into a toothy grin and he looked at Sunstar with an amused glint in his eye.

"Is DarkClan really so desperate that they need to take in filthy _rogues _so that they can defeat us?" he leered. "I wonder," he continued, "How many of your cats actually have warrior blood."

Morningstar said nothing from beside him, and her broken gaze remained focused on the stone beneath her paws. Cats immediately began to focus on Thistleprick and Raggedear again, whispers and murmurs beginning to grow amongst them. Some even eyed the toms distastefully, disgust and suspicion in their eyes.

Raggedear and Thistleprick could only look around in confusion. _'What is going on?!' _Thistleprick thought desperately.

Willowstar scoffed. "This meeting is over." he declared, leaping down from the Greatrock. Morningstar followed wordlessly after him, eyes downcast as she refused to look at the other leaders.

Thistleprick looked back and forth among the clearing as cats began filing away in an attempt to locate someone he knew, the leader's words spinning in his head. He and Raggedear really had no idea what was going on here after all, and he didn't like it.

"Hey!"

Thistleprick's ear twitched and he turned to see a tabby, leering at him and his brother with mocking golden eyes. "You guys must be pretty pathetic to go joining cats like DarkClan. Then again, you're just pathetic rogues." The tom snorted, "Nice ear buddy, almost matches your brother's dopey face."

With his final remark, the tom padded away to join Pineneedle and the other TreeClan warriors. Thistleprick's eyes narrowed slightly, but he ignored the tabby's rude remarks and instead turned to check on Raggedear.

He felt a spark of worry when he noticed the way Raggedear was staring off into the spot the TreeClan cats disappeared to.

"Come on Raggedear, let's go." he meowed gently nudging his brother. Those DarkClan cats had a lot of explaining to do.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**First I'm going to answer some questions. To justsmile77 about the OceanClan dens, I have no idea how they do it, but plenty of other animals do. ((I even looked it up before using it for authenticity)) The deeper you go into the sand, the harder and more compact it gets. To ty7769 and others, YES there will be pairings. Patience my friends, patience. I didn't have any AUs for the past two chapters because by the time I uploaded each of them I was way too tired. ALSO, Thank you to all my new readers! I really appreciate you taking the time to read my trilogy! :) Remember to leave any questions/thoughts/comments/ideas in reviews.**

**Lost Out**

**P.S. I need to make sure everyone is following a concept I mentioned earlier, but you may not have caught on to it. What can you guess is wrong with Morningstar? **


	31. Chapter 31: Fight?

The walk back to camp was a quiet one, and no cat dared to question Sunstar. Lostheart walked in the back of the group with Greysight, as usual. She still found it hard to believe that there would only be three clans now. _'I wonder what Willowstar did to get Morningstar to comply.' _

It was true that Morningstar was the kindest and fairest of the leaders, but even she wouldn't give away the freedom of her clan like that. Lostheart had seen the way she looked up on the stone, and it was not the face of a proud cat.

Thistleprick and Raggedear remained silent as well as they tried to grasp what had just happened. Thistleprick felt a twinge of anger in his paws, something had clearly been kept from he and his brother.

He looked to where Roseclaw was walking nearby, hopeful that she might tell him. Roseclaw caught his gaze from the corner of her eye and strode forward, nose in the air.

_'She's mad at me.'_

Thistleprick allowed himself a small chuckle and sighed inwardly, he really did have a bad habit of doing that to cats didn't he? Raggedear's slim yellow eyes flickered over to his brother at the sound, but he said nothing.

The clan padded warily into camp, disheartened by the forest's recent developments. Browneyes was standing outside the elder's den awaiting their return, he could feel his heart sink as he saw the faces of his clanmates.

Browneyes trotted quickly over to the group, "What happened?" he meowed with concern. Sunstar was the first to reply.

"TreeClan happened." he growled. Browneyes blinked at his leader's unexpected and vague reply, but followed the golden tom as he padded to the center of camp to give an announcement. Longtail had managed to hobble out of the elder's den as well and began to make her way toward the group. Mintpaw had been standing with Roseclaw, but as she saw her mother trying to join them, she quickly ran to her side to help her.

"TreeClan and LightClan have joined together, though I suspect Morningstar to have been forced into some sort of ultimatum." Sunstar meowed. Thoughts of Morningstar's frail form sickened him, it was horrible what his brother could do and he had no doubt about it, Sunstar was sure Willowstar had taken one of her lives. For her sake, he hoped it was only one, but knowing his brother...

Sunstar shook his head while Longtail and Browneyes's eyes widened in shock. "That's crazy!" Longtail yowled, "He can't do that!"

"I assure you Longtail, he can and he has." Sunstar replied harshly, narrowing his eyes at his supposed former mate.

Browneyes looked to his brother and felt his own face fall at Darkpelt's stony expression. It couldn't be true.

_'We don't stand a chance.'_

"...What are we going to do?" Browneyes meowed, looking to Sunstar hopefully. At his question the rest of the DarkClan cats turned toward Sunstar as well for his leadership. "Increase patrols, and don't let your guard down." Sunstar growled, "That's all we can do." He walked away from the group and towards the stone walls of his den, leaving his clan to watch him disappointedly from behind.

It was silent for a moment as the cats stood in the clearing, staring off towards the leader's den, however, the silence didn't last as a loud voice cut through the night.

"Okay, just what exactly is going on here?!"

Lostheart blinked and she, along with her clanmates, turned and parted to see Thistleprick standing angrily in front of them. Greysight growled in annoyance from beside her, "Shut up, you don't know what you're talking about. And I doubt your brain could even comprehend it."

"Oh, I understand what's going on here just fine. You DarkClan cats are just trying to use us! You and that TreeClan are having some sort of fight right? And you knew your clan was too small to beat them, so you decided to take us in for extra fighting paws!"

Greysight's cloudy eyes darkened at Thistleprick's harsh rebuttal while Lostheart sat calmly by her side, watching the tom with her calculating gaze.

"My brother and I aren't just going to go put ourselves in harm's way for something we're not even involved in. We're not just here for tools to be used! You guys never said anything about a fight! Come on, Raggedear."

Thistleprick turned away from the cats and padded towards the tree tunnel while Raggedear quickly padded forward to join him by his side. The black tortoiseshell's yellow eyes cast a single glance back at the DarkClan cats as they stood with dumbfounded expressions.

Moonfur couldn't believe they were just going to leave and she felt a slight hollowness in her heart. Sure, Thistleprick was annoying and rude, but the two toms were beginning to grow on her. Her dysfunctional eyes fell and she looked up to watch the brothers pad away. Almost immediately she met sharp yellow eyes and blinked as she and Raggedear locked gazes. It didn't last long, and almost as quickly as it had happened, the mottled tom turned away and continued forward.

A low growl rumbled in Greysight's throat as she prepared to step forward, but was stopped as Lostheart blocked her with her tail. The motion surprised Greysight and she turned toward Lostheart with a confused expression.

"...Why?"

"They're right." Lostheart replied. She had never thought about it before, but as she did, she could feel the guilt running through her veins. _'Who am I to decide the fate of someone's life?' _It was wrong.

Greysight was silent and remained where she was, her eyes seemingly staring off into the distance. Browneyes and Darkpelt had watched the exchange with matching expressions, "Are we really going to just let them go?" Darkpelt meowed gruffly.

Longtail snorted from the back of the group where she sat beside a sad looking Mintpaw. "They're just rogues, let them go." She began to stand up, flinching slightly as she had to put weight on her leg. Mintpaw quickly perked up and stood to help her, guiding her back to the nursery.

Roseclaw watched them for a moment before turning towards the tree tunnel and then back to Lostheart. "...Are you sure?" she meowed quietly, blue eyes turning back towards the dark opening to the forest.

Lostheart nodded silently.

"But what about TreeClan?" Browneyes meowed, his voice quiet and somber.

"Willowstar has made it clear that he will not rest until he destroys our clan. I don't know why he's doing it, or what's running through his head, but we can't just let him control the lives of other cats."

Browneyes, Darkpelt, and Moonfur all blinked and turned towards the dark she-cat in surprise.

"It may not be any of our business, but the only reason Willowstar took hold of LightClan was so that he could defeat us. Even though he already had enough cats to do it himself, he is determined to break down our moral. I don't want Morningstar and LightClan to suffer because of our existence..."

Greysight felt her mouth curve into a small smile, Lostheart never ceased to surprise her. The she-cat really was different. Moonfur nodded in understanding as well, "You're right." she meowed.

They sat in silent understanding as the cool night air blew lightly through the trees around them. Lostheart sighed and looked up to the full moon, _'I wonder what you would tell me...Mom, Ivyfoot...'_

Greysight's paw suddenly twitched and her head snapped upward, catching the other cats by surprise. "What's wrong?" Roseclaw asked anxiously.

Greysight rose to all four paws, "It's Thistleprick and Raggedear it looks like they've run into another group of cats on our territory."

"Intruders?!" Darkpelt growled, rising to his paws, ready to fight. Browneyes padded to his brother's side and nodded in determination, "We'll get them."

Roseclaw looked from the two toms to the group of she-cats worriedly. "Greysight, you can lead us to them." Lostheart meowed hurriedly.

Greysight nodded urgently, "Hurry! Follow me!"

Roseclaw opened her mouth to say something, but was left in silence as Greysight, Moonfur, Lostheart, Darkpelt, and Browneyes dashed off into the woods. The white she-cat took a few steps forward, but stopped and stepped back, turning to look back towards the elder's den ,fighting with herself whether to go or not.

_'I hope you guys know what you're doing.' _Roseclaw thought in frustration. _'Please don't get hurt...'_

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**Short chapter, but I really wanted to get one out. IMPORTANT, a lot of people didn't catch on when I talked about it in Willow and Sun's past. Willowstar LITERALLY stole Shadestar's life that day, Mosspelt said he was never accepted by StarClan which is true. Sunstar is the only DC cat who knows because he witnessed it himself and I've mentione it a lot as his 'ability' but I guess no one got it. Its a theme thats never been used before so maybe thats why :/ I really tried to make that clear. If you're still confused you can go back and read previous chaps. **

**Lost Out**

**P.S. Finally finished writing out the final plotline of the last book. :) It's been in my head, I just finally got it down so I know all the details and don't forget anything.**


	32. Chapter 32: Issue

Greysight ran swiftly through the woods, fully focused on the vibrations she was feeling in the earth while Lostheart, Darkpelt, Browneyes, and Moonfur followed behind her. While it was true that she had picked up on a large group of unknown cats on their territory, she hadn't been completely honest. In actuality, Thistleprick and Raggedear were heading in the same direction as the group, but they didn't actually have any type of confrontation. It was her hope that they would reach Thistleprick and Raggedear before that happened, who knew who these unknown cats were?

It would make sense for them to be TreeClan warriors, but it was strange because they were far from the TreeClan border. Surely it couldn't be OceanClan? Brisingstar had just helped them, why would he attack now? Did he feel threatened by Willowstar and want to get rid of DarkClan to keep the peace?

Greysight gritted her teeth and pushed herself forward in a burst of speed. If it was OceanClan, they would be sorry. They were almost there, and Greysight could practically 'see' the figures of Thistleprick and Raggedear up ahead. "Here!" she cried.

All at once, the five cats leapt through the brush, causing both Raggedear and Thistleprick to leap back in surprise, already taking fighting positions. Thistleprick looked dumbfounded for a moment before his whiskers twitched in frustration. "What? Trying to stop us? I told you, we don't want any part-"

"You!"

Their attention was suddenly distracted as a group of four large toms stepped out from the trees. A large gray tabby led from the front and was eyeing the cats with furious hatred. Lostheart was surprised to see the strangers, she had certainly never seen any cats like these around here. What really caught her eye were the colorful bands they wore across their necks. Collars were the mark of the twolegs, but these toms definitely did not look like kittypets, and embedded in their collars were several teeth and claws.

_'Are those supposed to be trophies?'_

Darkpelt, Moonfur, Browneyes, and Greysight followed her gaze and eyed the strange newcomers with curiosity, which quickly turned to rage in Greysight and Darkpelt's eyes. But before either of the warriors could question the gray tabby, he spoke again.

"We've finally found you! Did you really think we would let you get away from us so easily! You brats will pay," he growled, unsheathing his claws, "with your lives."

Thistleprick blinked at the tom's words and let out a small chuckle, taking a step backwards, "Let's not be too hasty now." he stuttered with a forced smile on his face. Darkpelt narrowed his eyes at Thistleprick, recognizing the tom's behavior. It was just like the time when he had fought the two brothers, and he had seen it in his eyes as they had left as well.

The tabby's blue eyes flashed in rage, "You little-"

"Hey!"

The toms were halted in their effort to step forward as they finally noticed the other group of cats standing across from them. "This is our territory, so you better get off it!" Greysight hissed.

The tabby snorted, and the toms behind him laughed in amusement, arrogant smirks drawn on their faces. "I don't care." he drawled, turning back towards Thistleprick and Raggedear with fury in his eyes. "Those two must pay!"

Lostheart moved forward, quickly followed by Greysight, Moonfur, Darkpelt, and Browneyes and stepped in front of the two tortoiseshell brothers. "These are our clanmates, we won't let you hurt them." she meowed, her voice darker than usual.

The rogue toms looked slightly taken aback, but quickly regained their composure, "How dare you-" he began.

"_Shut your mouth!_"

The cold, scratchy voice took all the cats in the clearing by surprise and the DarkClan cats turned to see Raggedear step past them and stand between the two groups. Moonfur's eyes widened as she heard his voice and watched as he stepped past, completely taken aback by the anger in his voice.

"_I'm sick of listening to your pathetic sniveling you overgrown kit!" _he growled menacingly._ "I'll snap you in two!"_

The gray tabby blinked in shock, but quickly became overcome by rage. A sort of fire lit up his eyes and his claws flashed dangerously. "Attack!"

"No!" a voice shrieked, but it was too late. The DarkClan cats leapt forward at the same time as the rogues, meeting in a flash of fur and claws.

Roseclaw leapt forward, pushing Moonfur into a bush and landing ungracefully on top of her. Moonfur huffed and rolled to the side, shoving Roseclaw off of her. "Roseclaw?!" she growled in surprise, "What are you doing here?!"

"Moonfur, you can't-"

Moonfur turned quickly away from the white she-cat, eyes focused on the ground as she tried not to listen to the sound of her clanmates fighting. "I know!" she hissed.

Roseclaw sighed in relief, "Good. Just stay here with me, we'll wait until the fighting is over."

The four rogues were clearly outnumbered, but it didn't stop them from trying to fight. Even Greysight had to hand it to them, the toms were ferocious. She was fighting one-on-one with one of the gray tabby's goons now and she laughed at his increasing frustration as he tried to land a hit on her. He would never be able to catch her, the tom was far too slow.

Greysight listened as another swiped whizzed by her ear, and she smirked as she prepared for a counterattack. Greysight was about to leap onto the larger tom when she suddenly felt a tickle in her ear. It was only a small feeling, but it felt like she had heard it somewhere before.

While she was distracted, Greysight wasn't able to regain herself quickly enough to avoid the tom's attack and winced painfully as a large, clawed paw slammed down onto her head.

* * *

Lostheart had fended off one of the toms, sending him running into the woods while Darkpelt and Browneyes took on the other rogue and Raggedear fought with the gray tabby. When Greysight had been slammed into the ground from her peripheral, Lostheart could barely believe her eyes. She reacted quickly before the tom could go in for another blow and leapt over, digging her claws into his back and pulling him away from Greysight.

The tom's body skidded across the ground before he pulled himself up, spitting onto the dirt. "Hey boss-" he meowed, turning towards where the gray tabby fought with Raggedear in the center of the clearing.

All cats eyes turned toward the center of the clearing when a sickening crack rang throughout the air and drops of blood lightly spattered the ground. Raggedear stood in front of the gray tabby with an eerie kind of grin spread across his face.

The two remaining followers of the tabby gasped in shock. Slowly, the tabby raised his head and stumbled back up to his full height, the lower half of his jaw now hanging limply from his mouth dripping blood onto the earth.

The tom's eyes were clenched tightly in pain and he turned away from Raggedear, struggling to escape the clearing. The DarkClan cats watched as the other toms ran off into the woods and the tabby made his way towards the swamp. No cat moved to go after them.

They were all too focused on Raggedear as the tom stared blankly at the ground, paws stained with blood. Thistleprick quickly ran to his brother's side, catching his attention and gently brushing their sides together.

Lostheart leaned down to grab the scruff of Greysight's neck and pulled her up. Roseclaw flew from the bushes to Lostheart's side, immediately taking hold of Greysight. "We need to get her to camp." Roseclaw meowed urgently.

Lostheart nodded and waved Darkpelt over with her tail, the large tom said nothing and complied, heaving Greysight onto his back. Roseclaw nodded to the Darkpelt and they quickly disappeared into the woods, planning to meet back up with the others later.

After Greysight was taken care of, Lostheart walked over to where Browneyes, Thistleprick, Raggedear, and now Moonfur were standing. "You guys saved us." Thistleprick meowed, a slight hint of surprise evident in his voice.

"Well, duh." Moonfur meowed, "That's what clanmates do."

Both Thistleprick and Raggedear blinked at her, and Thistleprick averted his eyes awkwardly. "I guess I should apologize for what I said before..." he meowed.

Thistleprick shuffled his paws, "I guess we owe you one."

"We're sorry we withheld information from you, it wasn't right. You don't have to, but I know I speak for everyone when I say we'd miss you if you left, you've become a part of DarkClan. I don't suppose you'd reconsider coming back?" Browneyes meowed hesitantly, hope in his large, brown eyes.

Thistleprick and Raggedear exchanged glances before turning back to the DarkClan cats. "We do owe you." Raggedear meowed, "For saving us."

Thistleprick nodded in agreement, "Yeah. I guess it wouldn't hurt to stay, but you guys have to tell us everything that's going on."

"It's a deal." Moonfur replied, however, her smile faded as she noticed the blood dripping from Raggedear's pelt. "You're hurt." she meowed.

Lostheart and Browneyes followed her gaze and saw where the deep cuts on Raggedear's pelt were bleeding heavily. Thistleprick's eyes widened in alarm, "Oh man, they're right! Raggedear, we need to get you to Roseclaw!"

Raggedear looked down to where his blood was now beginning to drip onto the ground and nodded passively.

* * *

Back in camp; Thistleprick, Darkpelt, Moonfur, Browneyes and Lostheart gathered in the clearing while Roseclaw and Mintpaw took care of Greysight and Raggedear in the medicine cat den.

Thistleprick let out a breath of air as he flopped onto a patch of grass while the others sat around him. Lostheart had been silent since the fight, having been deep in thought. The other cats were surprised when she actually turned towards Thistleprick.

"Thistleprick, why were those cats after you and Raggedear?"

Darkpelt snorted and turned his focus towards the spotted tom as well. "Yes, _why_?"

Darkpelt, Moonfur, Browneyes, and Lostheart all watched the tom expectantly and caused him to laugh awkwardly under their gaze.

"Well ya see-it's a funny story actually." Thistleprick meowed.

"_Thistleprick."_ Moonfur growled.

"Hey, it's not easy living in twolegplace! A cat's got to eat doesn't he? There isn't exactly a surplus of food there you know."

Moonfur blinked and quickly shook her head, "Don't tell me you two stole their food."

"We were hungry!" Thistleprick protested. "Besides, they weren't exactly the nicest group around those parts, it serves them right!"

Darkpelt snorted. "Why am I not surprised."

Thistleprick pouted and turned his head away from the DarkClan cats. "You guys wouldn't understand anyway."

"There's something else." Lostheart meowed.

"What?" Thistleprick replied, shifting awkwardly under the she-cat's frightening gaze.

"It's about your brother."

Thistleprick was quiet for a second and shrugged, "Raggedear? What about him?"

Lostheart eyed Thistleprick silently, clearly deep in thought. Moonfur watched the exchange with growing curiosity, she herself had been curious about Raggedear. The tom was extremely passive and mysterious, she had never seen him so aggressive before. Had Lostheart picked up on something she hadn't?

"There's something you two aren't telling us. If you want us to be honest with you, I'd expect you to do the same for us. You certainly never told us those cats were after you."

Thistleprick blinked and glanced back towards the medicine cat den. Moonfur was surprised to see the sudden drop in Thistleprick's expression, his smile gone and his eyes filled with some unknown emotion.

Thistleprick turned back to them, but his eyes remained focused on the ground, as if he trying to decide something in his head. By now, all four of the DarkClan cats were extremely curious and waiting silently for Thistleprick to speak.

"...Raggedear," he began before pausing for a moment, trying to find the right words. "That cat you saw in the clearing wasn't him, well it was, but it wasn't." Thistleprick meowed, his eyes narrowed slightly in thought.

"What do you mean?" Moonfur meowed, worry and confusion clear in her voice. Lostheart remained silent, watching the tom with her impassive expression.

"It happened when we were young. You see, we came from a strict family, but I guess ya kinda had to be to survive in twolegplace. There were many different groups, and we all had to compete for food and territory. There were constant fights, and only the strongest families survived. When you became a certain age, you were expected to engage one of the other groups, and bring honor to your family by winning..."

Thistleprick's voice had become hollow and his eyes clouded by distant memories. "Raggedear was always the best at fighting, and it wasn't long before our father gave him his task. If he could defeat one of the nearby groups we competed with for food, he would prove himself as a true member of our family and be recognized as an adult. Failure...well, let's just say failure was unacceptable. That is, if you lived. So he was sent to chase off that group...we were only about ten moons old at the time."

Moonfur's eyes widened in shock, "That's crazy!" _'To be sent out like that, and at such a young age...'_

Thistleprick let out a small, bitter laugh. "That's what I thought too."

Moonfur watched Thistleprick through sympathetic eyes, and glanced back towards the medicine cat. "It must have been alright, because Raggedear is here now."

Thistleprick's eyes remained fixed on his paws. "When I got there, it was horrible. Blood was everywhere, and I saw Raggedear standing in the center of the ally. He was covered in scratches and his ear had gotten completely torn up, but that wasn't the only thing about him that had changed. His eyes were different, and he lashed out at me, something Raggedear would never do. I got him to calm down, but after a moment, he told me he had no idea what had just happened."

Moonfur still felt confused, "I still don't understand."

"It happened again, and again. When he would snap like that. He doesn't mean to do it." Thistleprick meowed, "I know it's hard to understand, but ever since that day he's been like this. I've managed to talk to him, both of him. I have to take care of him because I'm the only one who can stop that Raggedear."

"He has a split personality."

All eyes turned to Lostheart as the she-cat spoke. Thistleprick blinked warily, "Yes."

"He hates it you know." Thistleprick meowed, "He told me he hates it when the other Raggedear takes over. Normally, Raggedear can block him out, but when the other takes over, he can do the same. Sometimes, he doesn't, and Raggedear says he can see what's happening, but he can't do anything about it. Just watch."

Darkpelt and Browneyes both looked mildly shocked, a cat so unstable surely couldn't be safe for the clan.

Thistleprick eyes suddenly became desperate and pleading, "Please, you can't tell him I told you. It would really upset him." Thistleprick sighed, "He was angry with me when we made that deal, I thought we would win honestly...He doesn't want to stay around large groups of cats because he's afraid of hurting somebody. That's why we move around so much..."

"We won't." Lostheart meowed. "Raggedear will be treated no differently from before."

Thistleprick smiled fondly, "Good. I think...it's good for him here." After a short moment, he rose to his paws. "I only told you because it's fair, I would never betray my brother willingly."

After his final words, Thistleprick padded away towards the medicine cat den.

* * *

Roseclaw was sitting beside the Raggedear and Greysight's nests when Thistleprick walked into the den. "Hey, Rosie!" he meowed, cheerfully with a wide grin on his face.

Roseclaw whirled around angrily at the sound of the obnoxious voice, "Be quiet! They're sleeping!" she hissed.

Thistleprick chuckled and padded up beside her and looked down at his brother's sleeping form. "You've done good." he meowed.

Roseclaw rolled her eyes, "Maybe he wouldn't have gotten so badly injured if you had used that special move of yours." she retorted. "You know, I bet if you had done it against Darkpelt you would have won, too late now though. Knowing Darkpelt, he 's already come up with some sort of way to counter it."

"Maybe." Thistleprick meowed, a small smile on his face. "Unfortunately, I've never been able to do it."

Roseclaw blinked, surprised by his answer. "I thought you said it was part of your bloodline."

Thistleprick shrugged, "It is. I just never could."

Roseclaw turned away from the tom and focused her eyes on Raggedear, instantly feeling guilty. She hoped she didn't make him feel bad. Thankfully for her, Mintpaw padded out from the back of their herb storage, "I think Greysight's waking up!"

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**Leave any questions or comments in reviews, /i am too tired to think up a good AN right now.**

**Lost Out**


	33. Chapter 33: Dark Sky of Dawn

_Drip._

"Greysight? Greysight? I think she's waking up! Greysight, can you hear me?"

Greysight's ears were filled with a heavy buzzing, but she could hear Mintpaw's voice coming through to her. The words became clearer as the buzzing faded. She heard another exchange of noises and felt the vibrations as a cat left the den.

"Hey, you alright?"

Greysight clenched her eyes shut, trying to ignore the sudden sharp pain that exploded in her head. "Yeah." she managed to grind out.

"No you're not." Roseclaw meowed, shoving some leaves in front of Greysight's face. "Eat these."

Greysight groaned and licked up the herbs, making a bitter face. "How long have I been here?"

"Only since yesterday, its sunrise now." Roseclaw replied, "How are you feeling?" Her voice had taken on a new, more concerned tone causing Greysight to scoff.

"I'm fine." she meowed, hotly. However, she couldn't be further from the truth. Her head ached horribly, and she felt too weak to even move her legs. Luckily for her, Roseclaw was able to see right through her.

"I'm going to keep you in here for another day at the least." Roseclaw meowed.

"Roseclaw-!"

"Hey! I'm the medicine cat here, now be quiet and go to sleep."

Greysight grumbled something under her breath and rolled over so she was facing the wall. Roseclaw rolled her eyes and sighed, _'Why do you do this to yourself Greysight?' _The blind she-cat was always pushing her limits, something she really didn't have to do, or need to do for that matter. It was all too often that the blind she-cat had to stay in the medicine cat den.

Her ear twitched as she heard someone pad into the den, and she expected to see Mintpaw returning from her daily visit to give Longtail her herbs. However, it was Moonfur who had entered.

"Hey Moonfur, whatcha need?" It was rare for Moonfur to come into the medicine cat den, "If you came to see Greysight, she's sleeping right now. We need to let her rest."

"Actually, I came to check on Raggedear."

Roseclaw blinked in surprise, "Oh. He's right over here." she meowed, stepping to the side revealing the shape of the black and orange tom. Roseclaw and Moonfur watched him silently for a moment, until Roseclaw padded away. Moonfur watched the sleeping tom's face, happy to see him looking so peaceful. Her sense of calm fell when she saw Raggedear's face twitching in his sleep. Slowly, yellow eyes blinked open and hazily took in their surroundings. He laid in silence for a moment, choosing to stare at the roof of the den.

"You're awake."

Raggedear blinked and turned toward the noise in surprise. "Moonfur? Where am I? What am I doing here?" His questions came out slow and calm, but Moonfur could detect a hint of panic in his voice.

"One of those rogue cats attacked you, he got you pretty good." she replied.

"Right." Raggedear meowed, brow furrowing in concentration.

"You're allowed to leave the medicine cat den now. Thistleprick and Browneyes went on a patrol, but I thought you might like to do some hunting."

Raggedear pulled himself up, shaking the grass from his disheveled pelt. "Okay." He followed Moonfur's pale form into the clearing, blinking to adjust his eyes to the dim light.

"I think the border near OceanClan is good, and around the Dead Oak. What do you think?"

Raggedear shrugged, "Sure. You'd know the territory better than I would."

* * *

The walk was a quiet one, and Moonfur was beginning to feel uncomfortable. She and Raggedear had hardly ever talked before, and now that she actually had the opportunity to talk to him, she didn't know what to say.

"You and your brother are so different, you'd think you wouldn't get along very well. Has he always been so-"

"Just ignore him." Raggedear muttered. At first Moonfur thought she had made him angry, but as she looked closer, it he didn't appear angry at all. Just an annoyed older brother. "He's always goofing off. Try not to let anything he says bother you, he's just trying to have fun- as he puts it."

Moonfur laughed lightly, "He certainly has a way of getting on Darkpelt and Greysight's nerves. Then again, those two are both pretty hot-headed."

Raggedear 'hmph-ed' in response and the two continued on their way to the Dead Oak. Moonfur suddenly stopped abruptly, causing Raggedear to look back at her with a questioning glance. "What is it?"

Moonfur shushed him, causing the tom to blink in surprise. "There's a rabbit _right_ over _there._" she whispered through gritted teeth. Raggedear followed her gaze to see a small brown rabbit digging away at the ground, oblivious to the presence of the two cats. They had been so focused on their conversation, neither of the warriors had sensed its presence.

Moonfur and Raggedear exchanged glances and bent down into their hunter's crouches. "We'll both take a side." Moonfur whispered. Raggedear nodded briefly and began creeping off to the right while Moonfur took the left, all the while keeping her eyes on the rabbit.

Once in position, Moonfur waited until she could see the familiar yellow gleam of Raggedear's gaze and shot out of her hiding spot in the brush. The rabbit flew in the opposite direction, right towards Raggedear and into their trap.

Raggedear leapt at the fleeing rabbit, missing by an inch as the creature skidded to avoid his claws. Moonfur's eyes flashed as she moved to chase after the prey, but her paws suddenly slipped from under her, causing her to fall onto the ground.

She heard Raggedear's pawsteps as he flew by her and raced after the rabbit. Sighing to herself, Moonfur pulled herself up from the ground. _'I don't understand how you manage to trip over your own paws all the time.'_

Moonfur shook her head, standing up and shaking the dead leaves from her pelt, she needed to be more careful now. Her ear twitched as Raggedear padded out from the trees, the brown rabbit dangling stiffly from his jaws. "Nice catch," Moonfur meowed, "Or at least I'm sure it would have been had I seen it." she laughed.

Raggedear shrugged. "It was nothing special. Are you okay?" the rabbit in his mouth muffled his voice, but Moonfur was able to catch on to his words.

The pale she-cat scoffed, "I'm fine." Raggedear merely blinked and conceded with a small nod, the ghost of a small, amused smile hidden on his face. Moonfur followed the tom as the two left the clearing, watching him curiously. She found it hard to believe that Raggedear could really be so conflicted on the inside.

* * *

Moonfur and Raggedear had finished their hunt with a lot of luck, and the two were able to return to camp proudly with two rabbits and a crow. At the current moment, she was sitting with Raggedear, Roseclaw, Lostheart, and Greysight; who had finally been released from the medicine cat den.

There wasn't much conversation, as the group of cats were mainly involved in their own thoughts. Even Sunstar had come out of his den, but he sat away from the other cats in a far corner of the camp.

The silence was broken when Thistleprick came running into the clearing, grabbing the warriors' attention. His violet eyes landed on the group and he immediately hurried over. Lostheart stood to face him, expression unchanged. "What's wrong?" She noticed that his eyes were neither fearful nor worried, but wide with surprise.

"Browneyes and I were patrolling in the fields near the TreeClan border, and we ran into a group of cats." he breathed.

"Did they have the collars?"

Thistleprick blinked and shook his head, "No. We were going to send them away, but they said they were looking for a cat, and that it was really important."

Roseclaw, Greysight, and Moonfur had stood up now as well, listening eagerly to the spotted tom. "Said they were from the mountains, looking for a 'Dark Sky of Dawn.'" Moonfur froze completely, her paws suddenly becoming stiff.

"I told them we couldn't help them and we were about to chase 'em off, but one started rambling about a pale she-cat with dark eyes and patch in the shape of a moon."

Moonfur's eyes were wide in shock, and the other cats suddenly turned to look at her, but she could only blink in response. "...They're looking for me?" Thistleprick nodded eagerly, while Lostheart took notice of the worry and confusion in Moonfur's eyes.

"Let's go then." Lostheart meowed. Moonfur nodded and Lostheart turned to Roseclaw, Raggedear, and Greysight. "If you see Darkpelt, make sure you tell him where we are."

"Hey, I'm coming too!" Greysight began, beginning to pick herself up. Roseclaw quickly pushed her back down with both paws. "No, you're not! You're going to stay here and rest!"

Greysight thrashed under Roseclaw's weight, "Get off of me, fuzzbutt!" Roseclaw rolled her eyes and held the smaller she-cat down while Lostheart and Moonfur chased after Thistleprick However, she couldn't help feeling worried, especially after her new discovery...

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**I feel like everyone's on track now, and there is still more to come. And more mysteries and secrets to be revealed~ Although most will obviously be in the final book ;p Moon updated her story and I've posted the newest chap, she's been really busy with Physics and junk. I feel like I want to draw something, but I don't know what...Anyway, if I had to guess I'd say we are halfway through the second book now.**

**Lost Out**


	34. Chapter 34: Ice

Lostheart and Moonfur broke through the trees as they followed after Thistleprick, the sun barely shining behind the heavy veil of gray clouds. Ahead in the grass, Lostheart could see where Browneyes stood near a small group of three cats, who were watching them as they neared closer.

"Dark!" The female of the three exclaimed, her eyes wide in surprise. The two males merely blinked, it had been so long since they had seen her. Browneyes turned towards his clanmates, glad to see their presence.

"These cats say they've come from the mountains, looking for you." he meowed, turning toward Moonfur. "This is our deputy, Lostheart." Browneyes meowed to the strangers. Moonfur and Lostheart stared at the newcomers, but their expressions differed. Moonfur's seemed to be one of shock and disbelief, but Lostheart's was unreadable; her eyes were narrowed watching the small group of cats.

The graying tom at the front of the group met her gaze and the cats behind him looked on in shock. Her eyes. _'What a cruel expression...' _Besides the overall disturbing nature of the she-cat, what surprised them most was that she was just like Dark. The tom blinked, finally turning to Moonfur, remembering the message he was sent to carry.

"We have searched a long time for you, Dark. I didn't believe we would ever find you..." He mewed slowly, trying to find the right words to begin.

"I actually go by Moonfur now." Moonfur remarked softly. The tribe cats appeared surprised by her words, but the gray tom dipped his head nonetheless. "But...why are you here, Breeze?"

"I made a promise." Breeze meowed, voice suddenly becoming low and despondent. "Ice, made me promise that I would find you, to tell you..."

Moonfur's eyes suddenly widened and Lostheart watched as Moonfur took a step forward, her body beginning to stiffen. The pale she-cat searched Breeze's eyes for any hints as to what he was about to say.

"Dark, Ice of Harsh Winter passed on to the Tribe of Endless Hunting..."

Moonfur froze completely, her entire being appeared to visually shatter at that moment. Her mouth hung slightly open, and Lostheart could see the beginnings of her paws beginning to shake. "Wh-what?" she breathed.

_'No this can't be, he was a strong tom! No, I won't believe it. They're lying!' _Moonfur thought frantically.

"He died of sickness, but in his final breath, he asked me to find you. To tell you something important." Breeze managed. "It was recently, that a group of cats re-visited us from the neighboring forests. Ice was always thinking of you, and knowing of your journey to find your father, he was always sure to ask around."

Moonfur remained unresponsive, too in shock to say anything.

"These cats, well, they knew of your father."

This seemed to catch Moonfur's attention, if even by a little bit, and her eyes widened slightly, her ears pricked up trying to catch every word the grey tom was about to say.

"Mudclaw, a dark mottled tom with amber eyes." he began. "-Was crushed by a falling tree in the presence of a storm." He said the last words slowly, as if trying to ease the news into Moonfur, rather than hitting her with it.

Thistleprick and Browneyes remained equally confused, but said nothing, knowing it wasn't their place to speak. Lostheart, on the other hand, could see Moonfur's heart shatter in her eyes. The black she-cat couldn't help the pained feeling that struck her own heart.

"..I'm sorry Dark. We all knew how important this was to you, especially Ice. He waited for you every day never once believing you were gone." Breeze's expression took on a new, somber tone. "Ice wanted you to know, but not so you would despair. He wanted you to be able to end your quest, and above all, to tell you that he wanted nothing more than for you to enjoy your life, and to find happiness..." Breeze's face remained downcast, and the tom seemed to have trouble finishing his statement. "...The message he told me to deliver, was that he loves you. They were his last and final words."

Saying nothing more, Breeze turned back toward the cliffs, making his way back on the long journey home. The two remaining cats sent sympathetic glances at Moonfur and quickly ran to catch up to Breeze as the group left DarkClan territory.

Moonfur's teeth were gritted tightly together, and the she-cat refused to look up from the earth. Thistleprick and Browneyes were both frozen in shock, while Lostheart watched from beside them. "Moonfur-" Browneyes began tentatively.

"Leave me alone!" she hissed, running off into the fields. Browneyes and Thistleprick both blinked and looked towards Lostheart for what to do. The black she-cat watched Moonfur's pale retreating form, a certain kind of sadness hidden in her eyes. "Let her go." Lostheart meowed.

* * *

Moonfur rushed through the trees running as far away as she could from the place where she found out her mate and father were dead. Tears stung at her eyes threatening to overflow. She didn't care, she let them come. Her heart ached in her chest as she felt it crumble beneath the weight of the news.

_'No, no, no.! If I had only waited with him! He would have been there with me when the Clan cats came, then I wouldn't of had to go on this stupid mission in the first place! Now he's gone forever!' _Moonfur collapsed near the river that ran beside the border of Darkclan territory. She laid there sobbing, a steady river tears flowing from her multicolored eyes.

The forest was alive around her. Birds chirped, cats wandered their territories, fish swam in the river, none had a care in the world. Here, the pale she-cat had her world snatched from beneath her paws. Moonfur thought of her father, the tom had been bitter and unloving to her, but he was still her father and had a responsibility as such.

_'I never completed my quest, Ice, I let you down. I know how much you wanted this for me. I'm..I'm so sorry.' _Her voice was weak as she mumbled her words to a clear blue sky.

_"It was a day like this when I left you," _Moonfur mused, thinking of Ice, who she hoped was watching her. She sniffed as the memory began to playback in her head.

* * *

The day was clear as two cats emerged from behind a waterfall. A pale she-cat with a dark grey crest on the side of her chest padded beside a pure white tom with grey socks and a grey tail tip. The rocks of the mountains were warm under their pads as they trotted up a ridge to a secluded spot in the mountains. This had always been their place, the Tribe knew this and when the two cats were there, they attempted to keep their distance.

"Beautiful day," the white tom remarked. His blue eyes glancing up at the sky and then at the she-cat who padded with alongside him.

"Yes, I suppose it is." Her answer was short and curt. The tom looked at her, she had been acting strange for a few sunrises now. Her head was pointing straight, not even sparing him a glance.

"Dark," The tom began slowly, concern dripping off his words, "Please tell me what's wrong. You haven't been yourself lately." His heart ached to see her like this. Dark didn't reply until they were sat in their place, which overlooked the forests below.

"Ice, I… I have to go," Dark began slowly.

The tom named Ice just stared at her in confusion, "Go where? We just got here."

"No, not like that. I mean I have to go find my father."

"You have never mentioned this was bothering you before." Ice said turning his head to Dark.

"It has been bothering me for a while, actually, I just haven't said anything. I just feel like now that I have grown I need to find him and prove him of my strength and that I am not just some kit. I want him to love me, and I want to forgive him." Dark said somberly, she and Ice both knew what it meant if she went on this journey.

Ice stared out into the forests below and thought silently, Dark watching him anxiously for a response.

"I think you should, if it is going to put your mind at ease go find Mudclaw. Dark, I want you to know that I am coming with you though. There isn't any way that I would let _you_ of all cats go alone. I love you too much." He looked at Dark, his eyes showing nothing but concern and love for his mate. Dark couldn't help but relax. He had that effect on her.

"Ice, you can't come with me, as much as I want you to." Dark meowed, standing up and padding to the edge of the cliff that looked out into the forests and grasslands down below, "You didn't know my father and this quest is something that I must do alone." She glanced back at the white male, who still sat there watching her every move, taking in his reaction. His face was calm, but his eyes showed hurt. Dark's chest tightened.

_'I'm not helping the situation. How can I get him to stop worrying about me? I'll be fine, I know I will, but he won't believe me.' _Dark thought sadly.

"Okay, but Dark, please come back. I can't lose you." His eyes pleaded with the pale she-cat, in hopes of a confirmation from her.

Dark moved close to him and put her nose on the tip of his. She gazed into his deep blue eyes, while he gazed into her multi-colored grey eyes. "Ice, I could never leave you. I will always return. No matter what, no matter how long. You are my world. The only one who understands, me. I love you more than words could speak."

Ice purred in response and the couple left to tell Stoneteller of Dark's news. The old tom allowed for the venture, but asked that Dark return safely one day.

The following sunrise Dark departed, Ice watching after her. "I'll be waiting for you!" he called. "Don't ever forget! I love you..."

* * *

The memory faded from Moonfur's mind, and her heart now lay broken within her chest.

_'My quest was for nothing…. My father died and I never got to prove to him what I wanted. I should have been there with Ice, I never should have left the Tribe of Rushing Water in the first place. We could have raised kits together, had a family.' _Moonfur scolded herself for even leaving the Tribe and even more for thinking that these cats she was with now could ever be the family that she dreamed of having with Ice, he was the only one who had ever cared for her besides her mother, and he wasn't here. _'Why did I stay here, what was there to gain? I broke my promise to Stoneteller, and to Ice. So, why?' _No answer came to her mind.

_'I never proved myself to my father either. He died thinking I was just a pathetic kit...one he didn't even have time for'. _Fresh tears streamed down Moonfur's cheeks, as she thought of him sending her off with Shiver. _'I am strong, Dad! Look at me now!'_

As she thought of her father and her mate, Moonfur began to feel the incredible sensation of loneliness beginning to take over her soul, her heart had shattered, and now it felt like her soul was dying too.

_'I am alone. There really is no fight left within me...' _Moonfur's eyes were dull and downcast as she stared at her reflection in the rushing water, the familiar separate gazes watching her back. '_Ice and Mudclaw are gone...' _

_'It's all gone...What do I have now?' _her thoughts whispered as she stared into the water, as if expecting her reflection to answer her. _'My entire life...all I've ever wanted...'_

_'What do I have now?' _she repeated.

Slowly, Moonfur rose to her paws, eyes never leaving the water as she stood at the edge of the bank. _'We'll see each other again.' _The sound of rushing water never stopped as Moonfur closed her eyes, and leapt into the river. The current pulled her along, and as she drifted further down, shaded eyes slowly opened, staring at the light shining through the water's surface.

_'I wonder if mother will be happy to see me...maybe, the four of us can watch the moon together...' _Moonfur's paws drifted above her, her body in complete weightlessness. Slowly, her eyes fell and her vision began to blur, her body slowing down. The light above her seemed to drift further and further away, and a feeling of cold moved throughout her body as she released all the strength she had left, and let the river drag her under.

_'Yeah...that sounds nice...'_

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**Moon and I did a collab on this chapter, so we hope you enjoyed it. Leave questions/comments/thoughts in reviews. I will try to update soon.**

**Lost Out**

**-A lot of different music helped with this chapter, mainly instrumental. But if you haven't, you should check out the song 'Hymn for the Missing' by RED. **


	35. Chapter 35:

_Drip._

Slowly, silver eyes began to open, blinded by a sudden harsh light. A cold feeling covered her forehead, it's icy chill causing the she-cat to flinch slightly.

_Drip._

The haze around her began to clear, a dark shape beginning to come into focus.

_'Am I...in StarClan?'_

_Drip._

Moonfur blinked in an attempt to clear her gaze, her eyes widening slightly while her mouth hung barely open. Above her, Moonfur looked up in shock to see a familiar red eye staring back down at her. Lostheart stood over Moonfur, the water dripping from her forehead and onto the pale she-cat.

_Drip._

Her face was contorted in anguish, confusion and rage spinning in her eyes. Moonfur could only look up in shock, barely registering the fact that she was breathing, and that they were both drenched in water.

Lostheart was breathing heavily, her eyes widening slightly as she realized Moonfur had awoken. The pale she-cat was staring at her with wide frozen eyes. Lostheart gritted her teeth and closed her eyes, but they flashed back open instantly, watching Moonfur with a mix of anger, confusion, and despair.

"...Why?" she breathed, "Why would you do something like this!?" Lostheart couldn't believe the broken she-cat in front of her was the Moonfur she knew. No cat should take their own life, it was not supposed to be a decision they felt like they had to make. Every cat deserved to live.

Moonfur could only watch in shock. Not only was she still alive, but she had never seen Lostheart react like this to anything.

Lostheart had seen the pain in Moonfur's eyes when she spoke with the tribe cats, and her heart twisted with despair. She remembered the night she had spoken with Moonfur while the pair of she-cats had watched the moon together.

_"I keep telling myself that he's out there somewhere, waiting for me..."_

"I understand its painful, but trying to find a way to escape from the world isn't the answer. Didn't you hear what Breeze said?! Ice wanted you to be happy, how could you betray him by taking the life of the one he loved, and his kits!"

Yes, she knew. She had suspected it all along, and it had become increasingly noticeable over time. Roseclaw knew as well, Lostheart had wanted to make sure her sister was aware as well, but as it turned out, Roseclaw had already noticed and confronted Moonfur about it. Lostheart was sure their clanmates were suspicious too, but were too afraid to say anything about it to insult the fiery she-cat.

"If you haven't noticed he isn't here. No one understands me like him. I've lost everything...My family, my mate, and I don't particularly care about my life." Moonfur muttered softly, the water still dripping from her fur.

"Well I do."

Moonfur's tired eyes slowly moved to look up to the she-cat, the one who had saved her. _'...Why does she go so far for me?'_

"I'm sorry about your father and Ice, but they would want you to live on. If not for yourself, then at least for them. Your mother gave her life to protect you...through you and the kits, their lives will continue on. They loved you Moonfur."

Lostheart took a step back, her eyes suddenly becoming dull and jaded. "...I know what it's like to feel like you're all alone in the world. To have everyone look at you in disgust and fear, never even given a chance... It's hard, and it's lonely, and it's painful; but there's always someone out there who will understand... I may not have many friends, or family; but to me you're important, and I won't let you do this to yourself. You're not alone. You have me, Roseclaw and Greysight, Thistleprick and Raggedear, Browneyes, Mintpaw, and even Darkpelt. We _want _you here with us."

Moonfur had remained silent the entire time, watching Lostheart through wide, shocked eyes. The air was quiet as a light breeze blew through the grass, chilling the she-cats' wet pelts. Lostheart blinked as Moonfur's mouth began to twitch, and she watched in shock as Moonfur's eyes slowly squinted up. The she-cat sniffed, and a small sob escaped her mouth, the tears beginning to flow down her cheeks. The pale she-cat's body shook lightly and she let out a sob, finally releasing all of her pent up feelings.

They stayed like that for a long while, Moonfur finally coming to terms with everything that had happened. Lostheart sat with her in silence, unsure of how to comfort another cat; however, her presence was what mattered the most.

* * *

The stars shimmered lightly in the sky, as two cats sat underneath them by a small tree. Lostheart had brought Moonfur here as the two dried off, and watched as the sun set and the moon rose, illuminating the forest.

Lostheart and Moonfur sat under the branches of the small tree, its blossoms covering the ground due to leaf-bare. They sat quietly, watching the moon. Moonfur had never been to this place before, and she wondered why they never took her here while exploring the territory. Unbeknownst to her, this was a very special place for Lostheart. It was her mother's place, and the only cat who had ever stood there with her was Ivyfoot.

"The kits aren't even born yet...and Ice isn't even here to help care for them. I'm not a motherly sort of cat. I'm really not. Yes I care for them, which is exactly why I was not going to bring them into this world, how could I ever provide for them?" Moonfur meowed sadly.

"The clan will help you, I know you'll be a great mother."

Moonfur was silent, watching the stars of Silverpelt with dull eyes. "I've never been here before, "she meowed, changing the subject, "It's beautiful."

Lostheart followed her gaze, looking into the stars as well. "...I don't bring cats here, its where I like to come when I want to be alone. It was my mother's favorite spot, she told me she would take me here one day, so that we could sit together...Unfortunately, she never got the chance."

_'That's right...Lostheart's mother was killed when she was young too.'_

"What was her name?"

"...Silentshadow."

"Oh. That's a pretty name."

It wasn't easy for Lostheart to talk about the past, she tried to avoid thinking about it. If not, she would end up making herself upset. The memories were just too painful. "Do you think they're up there, watching us?" Moonfur meowed, breaking the silence between the two cats. Lostheart blinked, watching the small, shimmering lights. "Yeah, I think they are."

Moonfur let out a small smile, "I miss him, I always thought that one day...we would see each other again." She let out a small laugh, "When my mother died, I felt like I had no one left. I always felt like my father never recognized me, to him I was just a burden. I left so that everyone would be able to live in peace. Life alone wasn't easy, and I became more and more bitter as the days went by, hating myself and the cats who looked down on me."

And then I met Ice. He was...different, he wanted to be around me. It was strange to be around someone like that, and I couldn't understand why." Moonfur's voice had become low and strangled, "But I'm glad he did. I don't want to know what might have happened to me if I stayed the way I was."

Lostheart was quiet, surprised that Moonfur was sharing something so personal with her. "I know." she meowed. Both of the she-cats had grown up being avoided and hated by their clanmates, they were the ones who had to suffer from the others' fear of the unknown.

"Sunstar has never cared for me like a daughter, and I don't acknowledge him as my father. I think he blames me for my mother's death. When she died, I was all alone too...and then I met Ivyfoot."

He believed in me, and didn't treat me any differently than the others. He was...like a father to me, one I never had. And it's my fault he died..." Lostheart meowed somberly, becoming quiet once more

"...I'm sorry." Moonfur meowed, watching the moon. She wasn't going to press Lostheart for details, she was just happy that the she-cat was being so open with her. They were more alike than she would have ever thought, and not just because of their eyes.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**HERE'S THE DEAL. I typed my bit on this chapter and I was going to do another collab with Moon. AND if you follow Moon's story, you know that she is a very, very, very slow writer/updater. For the longest time she couldn't get back to me, and she never did it; so we cancelled that idea. I felt like you guys deserved something, but I'm sorry if it feels incomplete. Especially for this type of moment. I am SUPER busy this week and I have a huge test that will ultimately determine my life this saturday, if ya know what i mean. Some of you may be taking it as well, and I'm just really stressed this week, but I'll definitely update this weekend. I really miss writing this story, and I hate that this took so long.**

**Lost Out**

**I may re-type this chapter, depending on how I feel about it after some thought; but until I get through this week it will have to wait**


	36. Chapter 36: Kits

"I don't think...I can tell them. Will you do it?" Moonfur's voice was quiet as she and Lostheart stood before the dark entrance to DarkClan's camp. The new thorny barrier wound it's way around the trees. It hung above the opening, giving the dark entrance a sinister look.

"Yes. You should go see Roseclaw, and get yourself situated in the nursery. I'll make sure the clan knows about the kits." Lostheart meowed, noting the dark shadows under Moonfur's eyes. It was clear the she-cat was still recovering from learning about the death of her father and mate. Yes, Lostheart would make sure they knew. It had been a sort of silent agreement to leave out the details of the pale she-cat's fall in the river. The clan didn't need to know, and Moonfur didn't need that kind of attention. She already had enough on her shoulders.

"Thank you, Lostheart..." Moonfur gave a weak smile, one that didn't seem to touch her eyes. A deep sort of loneliness lay embedded in her separate gaze, Lostheart vaguely felt like she had seen the same sort of expression before, but she couldn't remember where.

Lostheart nodded wordlessly and the two she-cats entered the camp together. The inside was quiet, and seemingly empty. No cats lay in the clearing and the only sound to be heard was the light howl of the wind and the distant sound of crows cawing far away. Lostheart stopped in the center of the clearing and watched as Moonfur continued on towards the medicine cat den.

She would have to tell Sunstar.

Lostheart turned toward the leader's den, its stony form looming over her, silhouetted by the dull grey sky. She padded up to the shaded entrance, not wanting to step inside unless necessary.

"Sunstar."

For a long moment, the den was silent, but slowly she could hear the sound of a cat moving inside. "What do _you_ want?" His voice was ragged and spiteful, but Lostheart ignored it, Moonfur was more important. Only Sunstar's faint outline could be seen from the inside, his face turned away from her.

"Moonfur is expecting kits, we are moving her to the nursery for the time being. It shouldn't be long now." Lostheart replied, her voice unchanged from it's usual cold, emotionless sound.

"...Kits?" Sunstar meowed, a hint of surprise evident in his hoarse voice.

"Yes, she was carrying them before joining us here."

A silence took over the air as she stood outside the stone den, waiting for Sunstar's response. For a moment, she wondered if he would talk anymore at all. However, she heard him stand up and move back towards the deeper part of the cave. "I will see them when they are born." he meowed.

She took them as his final words and stepped away from the leader's den, somewhat relieved that he hadn't bothered to ask too many questions. Now all she had to do was let the other cats know. Hopefully she would find some of them in the warriors den, otherwise the deputy would just have to wait until they returned.

Lostheart made her way across the clearing and nearly jumped as a loud hacking cough sounded from the elder's den as she was padding by. At least she knew Longtail hadn't gone anywhere.

* * *

"I'm glad you came to me Moonfur, I've known for a while now. I was hoping you would come see me." Roseclaw meowed, gathering up a small pile of herbs. Moonfur stared off into space, blinking dully when she realized Roseclaw had said something. Mintpaw stood beside the medicine cat, smiling happily at the pale gray she-cat.

"I can't wait to see the kits! Roseclaw and I even cleaned up the nursery, it was a mess! I don't think it's actually been used for a long time, we set you up a nest and everything. I put down as many feathers as I could find, we have to make sure its comfy for the kits!"

Moonfur nodded, a bit surprised by the apprentice's enthusiasm. It was still hard to believe she was having kits in the first place, it just didn't seem possible.

"Come on!" Mintpaw meowed, giving Moonfur a gentle shove with her head. "You've got to come and see it." Moonfur gave in to the small cats pushing and walked with her and Roseclaw towards the small vine-like structure to the left of the clearing.

Mintpaw sprinted ahead of them and disappeared inside the den, causing Roseclaw to laugh lightly and turn toward Moonfur, but the she-cat could only offer a weak smile in return. Roseclaw had never seen Moonfur look so depressed before. Was she not happy about the kits? Roseclaw blinked as a sudden thought struck her, did she miss her mate?

Moonfur hesitantly stepped into the nursery, blinking to adjust her eyes to the light. In the very back, along the wall, was a large nest filled with all kinds of soft grasses and feathers. Mintpaw stood proudly by it's side while Moonfur observed the nursery for the first time.

The walls were a lot like the warriors den, meaning they consist of several layers of vines, effectively blocking out any wind or rain. "It wasn't always this clear," Mintpaw piped up, "When I came in to clean it out, there was dust and debris everywhere. A lot of weeds had also managed to sprout up. I don't think we've ever used the nursery before!"

Roseclaw remained silent, her blue eyes looking around the den with a touch of sadness. "Now, now Mintpaw. We need to let Moonfur rest, the kits should be coming any day now."

Mintpaw nodded, "Okay, don't forget your herbs Moonfur."

Moonfur nodded mutedly and padded back towards the nest while Mintpaw and Roseclaw said their goodbyes. Mintpaw had certainly put a lot of work into it, and the nest felt like StarClan under her paws. She let out a sigh as she settled down, looking around the new area, unaware of the destruction that had occurred in the place.

* * *

"WHOA! Moonfur's having kits? What?!" Thistleprick leapt up in disbelief. "I mean, I thought she was getting fat, but still! That's crazy."

"You're an idiot."

Thistleprick turned toward Greysight with an annoyed frown. "Oh please! I bet you didn't notice, you can't even see her."

"I notice a whole lot more than you do!" Greysight hissed, wrapping her thin, black tail over her paws. In actuality, the blind she-cat was rather surprised herself. She had noticed the shift in Moonfur's weight, but she couldn't believe the she-cat was actually expecting kits.

"Yes. Roseclaw says it won't be long now. She was already carrying the kits when she joined us." Lostheart meowed.

Thistleprick suddenly paused with a confused expression. "-Wait. Why didn't she tell us?"

"Because its none of your business, mousebrain!" Greysight immediately rose to defend her friend, there had to be a perfectly good reason Moonfur hid this from them. The blind she-cat was sure Moonfur would have told them eventually.

"This is wonderful!" Browneyes cut in, trying to stop the conflict. "It's been so long since DarkClan had kits. What do you think, Darkpelt?"

The speckled warrior snorted, "I suppose. At the very least it will give us more sets of paws, I'm sick of doing everything around here."

Lostheart wasn't too surprised by her clanmates' reactions, but she noticed Greysight seemed less energetic than she normally was. Raggedear had also remained fairly quiet, but his expression was unreadable throughout the exchange.

"Does Sunstar know?" Greysight asked suddenly, turning towards Lostheart easily.

"Yes." she replied. "I told him." Greysight nodded mutedly, her mouth set in a thin line as she remembered her previous conversation with their leader. She wondered if Sunstar had said anything about it to Lostheart, but a part of her knew it wasn't likely. "Come on, we have a lot of stuff to do at sunrise. Let's get some rest." Greysight meowed, sick of listening to the sound of the toms' voices behind her as they chatted away about some inane thing or another.

Despite her aloof attitude, the blind she-cat was quite excited herself. Kits would be great for the clan, she might even get to mentor one!

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**Whelp. Tomorrow is the day of doom, I.E SAT day. I honestly feel like crying for no reason that's how much its depressing me. Anywho, made an attempt to get a chapter up. I hope being away from it for so long hasn't affected my writing too much, I need to get back into it. You guys would be surprised at how long it actually takes me to type up these chapters. Probably around two hours, maybe even more. Writing is a very timely process. **

**Lost Out**

**P.S ...notgoingtogetahighenoughscor e**


	37. Chapter 37: Who am I?

Greysight blinked wearily, not entirely surprised to see the darkness in front of her. The only reason she knew she wasn't awake was because of the overall sense of nothingness. There was no sound, no scent, or even any sign of light in this darkness.

_'It's only a dream.' _

She told herself this each time she was once again met by this void, it was the only way she could reassure herself that she was fine. She took a few steps forward, feeling more comfortable walking than just standing in the dark. It almost felt as if she was fading away when she did nothing, just blending into the abyss.

Her ears twitched as she listened to her pawsteps echoed around her, being the only perceivable noise in the area. The blind she-cat continued on, trying to ignore the feeling of anxiety growing in her chest from the sound. It wasn't until she took another step forward that she froze completely.

Stiffening in horror, Greysight slowly removed her paw, trying to ignore the warm, sticky substance now covering the bottom of her paw. Her eyes widened as she looked down to see blood seeping from the ground. Greysight backed up quickly as it began to grow, its stench filling the air.

Turning around, the black she-cat prepared to flee, but was stopped when she saw the trail of blood running towards her from behind, seeping up from the black ground like blood from a wound.

"Greysight!"

Greysight flinched at the sound and jolted awake, her paws scrabbling over the ground awkwardly as she tried to rise to her paws. Browneyes cocked his head slightly at her animated reaction while Greysight gave a quick lick to her pelt in embarrassment.

"...Dawn patrol right?" she meowed after a moment of collecting herself.

Browneyes nodded. "...Yeah, you get to go with Raggedear and Thistleprick. Darkpelt is sending me and Lostheart out to hunt. I think they're already waiting for you outside of camp-"

"What?! Why didn't anyone wake me up sooner?"

Browneyes opened his mouth to respond , but was cut off once again.

"Oh, never mind. I gotta go!" Greysight meowed, jogging hurriedly out of the warrior's den, pelt bristling at the sudden cold chill in the air. It was already halfway through leafbare, luckily for them it had been a relatively mild one. _'But it isn't over yet.' _Greysight reminded herself, she needed to stay focused for the clan. It was not good to dwell on dreams-or rather, nightmares.

Her paws drummed against the earth, their shockwaves vibrating around her as she ran. She could feel Raggedear and Thistleprick standing outside the tree tunnel, and slowed her pace when she felt them turn towards her.

"Hey, sorry to keep you waiting. Let's go." she meowed heavily, still trying to catch her breath. Raggedear nodded and Thistleprick sighed airily, rolling back his head to look up into the dark canopy of the trees. Only small bits of gray sky were visible through the holes, causing him to frown slightly in discomfort.

He hurried forward as Greysight and Raggedear padded ahead, leaving him behind. "Don't get lot of light here, huh?" he meowed. "Hmph. Reminds me of twolegplace in that sense."

"I wouldn't know."

Thistleprick blinked, focusing on the she-cat ahead of him for a moment before laughing awkwardly. "Right. Forgot, sorry 'bout that."

Raggedear shot his brother a look, but said nothing to either of the cats. Greysight chose to ignore them for the most part, instead focusing on the ground, scents, and sounds around her. The earth beneath their paws was soft, it couldn't be a good sign. They were approaching the OceanClan border, and in doing so, walking past the swampier bit of their territory.

"Looks like the water level in the swamp has risen again." Greysight meowed. Raggedear turned to look through the trees, eyes squinting as he tried to see the ground that lay ahead in the darkness.

"There's not much light today, so its hard to tell." he replied. Thistleprick looked as well, but like his brother, he could see nothing.

"Hey, Greysight."

"What?" Greysight asked as she continued forward, listening to the sound of the ocean as their patrol wound through the trees.

Thistleprick eyed the black she-cat carefully. "You never did tell us what exactly is going on around here. What's Willowstar's problem anyway?"

Greysight blinked, realizing that they still didn't know. Sighing heavily, she shrugged. "I can't tell you why, but Willowstar has made it clear that he wants nothing more than to watch our clan suffer. He used to be part of DarkClan, but he murdered our previous leader and left."

Raggedear and Thistleprick were both equally surprised, and the two glanced at each other from behind Greysight.

"He's Sunstar's brother. There's definitely some bad blood between them, maybe that's why." Greysight shook her head. "If we want to live in peace, we can't let Willowstar terrorize us. And now he has LightClan on his side too!" Greysight's voice had become a deep growl, "Because of him I lost my mentor, and apparently that wasn't good enough. His clan was already the largest in the forest, was forcing LightClan to join him even necessary?!"

Her claws were now embedded deeply into the ground and Greysight had become eerily silent. Thistleprick had known their situation was bad, but this...

_'We don't stand a chance.'_

Thistleprick swallowed heavily and spared his brother a glance, but Raggedear seemed to be off in his own world.

"We should keep moving." Greysight said impassively, a dark shadow now covering her face as she turned to step forward. However, she paused as she felt the approach of rapid pawsteps. Raggedear and Thistleprick recognized her familiar reaction, "What is it?" Thistleprick meowed curiously, turning to look through the trees around them.

"Greysight!"

A flash of white stood out from the dark expanse of forestry, and the three warriors could only look in surprise as Roseclaw came running towards them. Thistleprick let out a wide grin and was prepared to call out something to the medicine cat, but stopped abruptly when he saw her expression.

Greysight quickly padded to his side as Roseclaw approached them, breathing heavily. "What's wrong?" Greysight meowed anxiously. Roseclaw's blue eyes met Greysight's dull, sightless ones.

"Its Longtail..."

Greysight froze, and she could feel her paws beginning to tremble under her. "What's wrong with her?!" she demanded.

"I don't know what happened!" Roseclaw meowed defensively. "We thought she was getting better with the catmint, but...when I went to visit her at sunhigh..." The threat of tears began to show in Roseclaw's eyes, "She's not going to make it Greysight." Roseclaw's voice cracked and she let out a small sob. "She's calling for you."

Roseclaw could only blink away the tears now filling her eyes as Greysight rushed past her in a flash of black fur. Thistleprick and Raggedear had remained silent for the most part, hanging back. Thistleprick shook his head, a new sorrowful expression on his face, one that did not suit the tom.

"...not the old bat..." Thistleprick whispered sadly to Raggedear. Raggedear blinked at his brother's words and turned back toward Roseclaw with a small frown as he saw the tears now dripping from her face. Thistleprick brushed against his brother's pelt lightly before padding over to the medicine cat.

"Don't cry Rose..." he meowed sympathetically, looking down at her with an unusually soft expression. Roseclaw ignored the tom, too upset to bother with him. Thistleprick looked to Raggedear, but he said nothing.

"We should hurry back too."

* * *

"Mom!" Greysight's heart beat loudly in her chest as she burst into the elder's den, head turning around wildly, searching for any sign of Longtail. It was not hard to locate the she-cat, her pained breathing almost made Greysight recoil.

"...Greysight...?" Longtail's head slowly rose to look up from where she lay on the ground. Greysight hurried over, her mother's pain already bringing tears to her eyes."I'm here Mom."

Longtail smiled as Greysight padded to her side, and looked up at her daughter through tired green eyes. "I'm glad you're here Greysight..."

Greysight stood impassively by her side, her mouth quivering in a thin line. "I remember you told me that I was lucky because I would never have to see the pain of the cats around me..." she meowed, her voice quivering, "But... I'm sorry, Mom. I should've done something-I- this is all my fault...Please. Don't go."

"Hey..." Longtail's voice was a quiet whisper, her throat preventing her from speaking loudly. "You've never let me down..." She flicked the brown tip of her tail against Greysight's flank. The blind she-cat opened her mouth to speak, but was quieted when Longtail shook her head.

"Promise me...you'll look after your sister..."

"Don't say things like that! Everything is going to be okay!" Greysight meowed shakily, "I'll look after the both of you, just like I promised." The den became silent, the only sound Greysight could hear was the beating of her own heart and Longtail's haggard breaths.

"...Mom?"

"...StarClan knows this clan needs help..." Longtail's voice trailed off, her eyes falling slightly. "Greysight, I have to tell you something...important..."

_'Something...important?'_ Greysight echoed, unable to bring herself to say the words out loud. Longtail's eyes were nearly halfway closed, but she hung on in determination.

"Greysight...I love you so much...I...always have." her voice was a quiet whisper as her vision began fading in and out.

"...Mom?" Greysight whispered, a single tear rolling down from her clear, gray eyes.

"...I'm not...your...real...mother..."

Greysight froze completely, even her tears seemed to stop in place as she stared wide-eyed down at Longtail. "...what?"

"...Greysight..." A single tear rolled down Longtail's cream colored cheek and her eyes closed shut as she let out a final breath. Greysight opened her mouth to call out to her, but it was too late. She was in StarClan now.

The den was completely silent as Greysight stood in front of Longtail's body, her eyes now wide and her paws frozen in place. Shakily, she took a few steps back. _'...What?' _

Her pelt was still wet with tears as she blinked in an effort to collect herself.

_'...What?'_

Greysight shook her head and began backing rapidly out of the den, stumbling slightly as she did so. Her clanmates looked up as she stumbled into the clearing, eyes wide in shock and mouth hung open in a slight daze.

"...Greysight?" Roseclaw meowed hesitantly.

Greysight didn't seem to hear her, and the she-cat's sightless eyes remained fixed on the ground.

_'Everything I've known...has all been a lie?'_

Their concern rose as Greysight started shaking slightly.

_'Who...am I?'_

"Greysight?" Roseclaw meowed, padding forward to comfort the blind she-cat. She knew Longtail's death would have a great effect on her friend, and it was all she could do to help her through it.

"It's all been a lie!" Greysight exclaimed, pushing past Roseclaw and running off into the woods.

"Greysight!"


	38. Chapter 38: Family?

The clan stood dumbfounded in the clearing, staring at the place where Greysight had been standing just moments before. Roseclaw blinked out of her stupor and hurried toward the elder's den, letting out a wail as she saw what awaited her inside.

Mintpaw stood between Moonfur and Browneyes, her tiny frame shaking as she looked up at the pale she-cat with wide, glistening eyes. Moonfur could only look back down at the apprentice with her own sorrowful expression as they waited for Roseclaw's return.

Browneyes watched the elder's den anxiously, looking between it and his clanmates while Darkpelt stood emotionless, a stony expression set in place. Thistleprick and Raggedear stood to the side, and the calico tom shook his head in despair. They were too late.

Roseclaw padded out of the elder's den with a pained expression, hardly meeting the eyes of her clanmates. "Longtail is dead." she meowed sadly, blue eyes moving to look toward Mintpaw sympathetically.

The small cream colored she-cat let out a small gasp, her eyes growing wide and her body beginning to tremble lightly. Lostheart stood to the side of the group, having watched the entire exchange silently from afar.

Longtail was dead.

The she-cat had never been particularly kind to her, but she couldn't help the small twinge of sadness she felt. If not for Longtail, then for Greysight. She had just lost her mother. It was a feeling that Lostheart had not forgotten to this day, as it forever plagued her memories.

The shadow, the crack, the blood...her mother's last smile.

"I have to go after Greysight." Roseclaw meowed, turning towards the dark trees. Moonfur blinked, looking away from the apprentice that was now sobbing into her fur. Roseclaw met Moonfur's eyes and she suddenly seemed to deflate, seeing her heartbroken apprentice.

Looking between Mintpaw and the forest, Roseclaw padded back towards Mintpaw, pulling the apprentice close to her. "Shhh. It'll be alright, Mintpaw." she meowed softly.

Mintpaw moved from Moonfur to bury herself in Roseclaw's fluffy, white pelt. "I want my Mom..." she sobbed. Moonfur gave the apprentice a sympathetic glance before meeting Roseclaw's eyes.

"...Should I?"

"No. You need to stay in camp for your kits." Roseclaw meowed.

Browneyes and Darkpelt had already moved to bring Longtail out of the elder's den to prepare the vigil, while Raggedear and Thistleprick stood by wondering what, if anything, they could do.

"Do you want us to go find her?" Thistleprick meowed, stepping forward. Roseclaw shook her head, "No. Greysight is very fragile right now, I don't think it would be best for you to-"

"I'll go."

Four sets of eyes turned in surprise to hear Lostheart's quiet voice. The she-cat padded up to the group, her ever present expression set in place. She glanced briefly at Mintpaw's crying form, but quickly met her sister's eyes.

"I'll find her."

Moonfur and Roseclaw were both silent for a moment, but each conceded with a small nod. Without another word, the lithe, black she-cat turned away from the group and quickly disappeared into the same darkness that had previously swallowed Greysight's form.

Moonfur continued to stare into the trees. She knew that if anyone could bring Greysight back, it was Lostheart. An eerie sort of silence then took over the camp as the Darkpelt and Browneyes laid Longtail in the center of the clearing in preparation for her honorary vigil.

A loud caw quickly broke Moonfur from her thoughts, and she looked up to see a large, black crow watching from an overhanging branch. She watched it for a moment in silence, before turning away and focusing on Longtail's body once more.

From behind, she could hear the flutter of wings, signaling it's departure; and for a moment, everything was silent.

"What's going on out here?!"

* * *

The branches whipped at her face, but Greysight didn't care. She needed to get away. It felt almost like déjà vu as stumbled blindly through the forest, too upset to focus on her surroundings. It was as if her entire world was spinning on it's edge.

Her paws quickly began to stumble, causing Greysight to trip over herself and barely catch her balance against the side of a tree. She breathed heavily, her heart pounding in her chest. Slowly, the she-cat slid down to the ground, letting out a cry of frustration.

_'Why did she lie to me?!_

Tears slowly began to trickle down Greysight's face, staining her pelt. More than anything, she felt frustrated, and angry. "Why does StarClan keep doing this to me?!" she yowled, tearing into the dirt with her claws. _'Was being blind not enough?!'_

She had always thought Longtail loved her, but now she felt more confused than ever. If Longtail wasn't really her mother, then who was? Where did she come from? Was she even a clan cat at all?

The thought nearly made her heart stop all at once. She had always dreamed of being a warrior...but what if she didn't have warrior blood at all? Why didn't Longtail tell her?

Greysight wanted to hate the she-cat. She wanted to hate her for lying to her, and raising her to believe a story. But...

Another tear rolled down her face, staining her claw marks now embedded in the earth. Greysight blinked in an attempt to clear her jumbled mind, now trying to figure out what this all meant. _'This means...Mintpaw isn't my little sister...'_ Sunstar wasn't her father, and she wasn't related to Lostheart.

The thought of Mintpaw hurt her the most, what would she tell her? She had been so happy to be a big sister, but she had been cheated. Both she and Mintpaw.

What would happen now?

She allowed herself to sink further into the ground, laying on her stomach feeling completely and utterly alone. _'I don't even know who I am anymore...'_

The sound of pawsteps echoed behind her, causing Greysight's ear to twitch. She had been so upset she hadn't even felt the approach of another cat.

"Go away." she hissed venomously, not even bothering to look at the other cat. Greysight became increasingly frustrated as the cat stood there, not moving an inch. Growling, Greysight rose to her paws, unable to stop the tears dripping down her face.

She whipped around to face the other cat, fur bristling. "I said go away!"

"Is that what you want?"

Slowly, Greysight's fur fell flat as she recognized the voice. "Lostheart..."

Lostheart stood silently for a moment, taking in Greysight's disheveled form. "We're going to hold a vigil for Longtail soon...Mintpaw is very upset, she needs you."

_'Mintpaw...'_ Greysight's dull eyes seemed to fall for a second before narrowing into angry slits. "You don't understand!" she hissed. "Everything I've known is a lie! She lied to me!" Greysight's eyes shut painfully. "I'm not Longtail's kit, and Mintpaw isn't my sister!...I had always thought-but she told me...in her final breath."

Lostheart stood quietly for a second, blinking slowly as she processed Greysight's words. A part of the strangely eyed she-cat felt surprised, but another seemed to accept the information without question. It was just...Longtail had always been so protective of her.

"...Not Longtail's kit?" Lostheart questioned.

Greysight hung her head low to the ground, despite her blindness, she didn't think she could meet Lostheart's gaze. "No. It was all a lie. Everything!" she hissed, digging her claws into the ground. "How could she do this to me?! I have no real family!"

Greysight shook her head violently, she was too confused. It felt like her body was going to explode. _'I can't take this...'_

Lostheart watched as the blind she-cat let out a long breath and padded back over to the trunk of the tree, leaning back and letting out a heavy sigh as she stared up through the canopy with sightless eyes.

_'I thought she loved me...Everything she said, everything we did together...Did it all mean nothing?'_

"I don't know what to believe anymore."

Greysight felt Lostheart's pawsteps as the she-cat moved toward her, sitting down by her side. Lostheart was silent for a moment as she followed Greysight's gaze up through the trees. A single opening shone through the darkness, revealing the warm orange light of sunset.

They sat like this in peace for a few minutes, simply listening to the sounds of the forest around them, watching as the sun's warm glow faded from the sky.

"...Family...isn't about whose blood you carry."

Greysight blinked slowly, turning her head away from the canopy and listening impassively to Lostheart's words.

"...It's about who you love, and who loves you."

Greysight was silent, her jaded eyes revealing nothing of what she was thinking, or feeling. She felt Lostheart rise to her paws beside her, and as the she-cat turned toward her, she did the same. Then the two black she-cats walked in silence through the forest, returning to DarkClan's camp, Greysight mulling over Lostheart's words in her head. As she walked, she turned her head toward the sky, where she knew that despite the cover of the trees, the stars of Silverpelt were shining brightly over them.


	39. Chapter 39: Dreams

By the time Lostheart and Greysight entered the clearing, the moon had already made it's way into the sky. The clan stood gathered around the center of the clearing, and as they looked up to see the approaching she-cats, they moved to reveal Longtail's body.

Mintpaw was crouched by her side, forehead pressed onto her mother's shoulder. For once, Greysight didn't mind being blind, she didn't think she could take all of their sympathetic glances.

She strode past them without emotion, not even bothering to acknowledge their presence. Her paws finally stopped at the figure on the ground, though she could not see, she knew it was Longtail. Mintpaw was huddled up against the deceased she-cat, and looked up with wide, blurry eyes.

"Greysight..." she meowed, her voice barely a whisper. Greysight stood in silence, staring sightlessly down at the she-cat with a pained expression. Slowly, she knelt beside her, brushing their foreheads together.

Mintpaw let out a small cry and moved forward to curl up beside her big sister. Now that it was getting late, the toms began to move away, leaving the cats who were closer to Longtail in privacy. Lostheart stood back beside Roseclaw and Moonfur, watching in silence as Greysight and Mintpaw mourned for their lost mother.

"You should get some rest, Moonfur. The kits could come any day now." Roseclaw meowed, quietly, her voice having lost all of its usual cheerfulness.

Moonfur looked like she was about to protest, but the she-cat stopped herself as her eyes drifted back towards Greysight. "...Okay." she meowed quietly while rising to her paws and padding away from Roseclaw and Lostheart towards the nursery. Lostheart watched her for a moment longer then turned back to Roseclaw; unlike the rest of the clan, she knew Moonfur was having a difficult time right now. _'And now Greysight too...' _

Roseclaw and Lostheart now sat side-by-side in the clearing, sitting a good distance from Greysight, Mintpaw, and Longtail. Both their forms were silhouetted by the moonlight, a sharp contrast from the brightest white to the darkest of black. It wasn't until Moonfur was out of earshot that Roseclaw spoke up again.

"Sunstar came out shortly after you left."

"...Did he say anything?"

Roseclaw sighed. "When he saw Longtail he demanded to know what happened, after I told him he just disappeared."

Lostheart said nothing more and the two cats sat in silence in respect for Longtail's vigil. She needed to talk to Sunstar, they couldn't continue to go on like this and do nothing while waiting for their clanmates to die. They needed a way to counter Willowstar's forces and now LightClan's as well. They couldn't do it alone, and there was only one other option in the forest, at least one that didn't involve leaving.

"We have to go to OceanClan. Both Brisingstar and Sunstar need to realize our position, we'd be better off working together than alone."

Roseclaw nodded solemnly, "To think we'd lose Longtail..." she let out a small, mirthless laugh. "I remember she would always yell at us as kits, telling us to stay out of trouble...I thought I was doing it, I thought I was helping her...But I let her die...I'll never forgive myself." her voice had faded into a light sob at the last part.

Lostheart looked over at her sister to see tears trickling down the she-cat's snow white fur.

_'I'm so sorry, Greysight.' _Roseclaw thought sniffed pathetically in an attempt to stop the tears, feeling ashamed to let Lostheart see her like this.

"I can't contact StarClan. I let Blizzardpelt die. And now, I let Longtail die. What kind of a medicine cat am I?! I can't do anything right!"

Lostheart shook her head, "That's not true. You did everything you could. We all did."

* * *

As the moon began to set, Browneyes and Darkpelt returned to the center of camp to where Greysight still sat hunched over Longtail, her body seemingly impervious to the cold that she had sat hours through. She had sent Mintpaw away with Roseclaw long ago, choosing to sit alone in the clearing.

Greysight made no move to acknowledge the toms as they padded up behind her.

"We're going to bury her now." Browneyes meowed quietly. "Would you like to-?"

His words faded from his mouth as Greysight stood up and silently padded away towards the warriors den. Browneyes watched her go with dull eyes, while Darkpelt's gaze lasted no more than a second in silent concentration before moving to take Longtail's body.

* * *

_'It's different.'_

Greysight stood unmoving in a sea of white, all around her as far as the eye could see. It's brightness illuminating everything, yet nothing as it was all there was. A warm breeze ruffled her fur, causing her to lower her eyes tiredly.

_'Am I...in StarClan?'_

Greysight squinted slightly as a shining object began to approach from a distance. As it got closer, Greysight was able to recognize the form of a cat. A slight spark of hope lit up her chest, and she strained to see the figure.

"Mom?"

However, her voice faded as the figure stepped forward. This she-cat wasn't her mother, in fact, she had never seen this cat before. It was a beautiful she-cat, whose pale fur glistened along with her starry pelt as she smiled weakly at Greysight. However, she seemed...familiar.

"Hello, Greysight." The she-cat's voice echoed softly in the space around them, filling the void with the soft warmth of her voice.

Greysight blinked out of her stupor, staring at the she-cat in awe. How did she know her name? "...Who are you?" Greysight whispered weakly.

The she-cat blinked calmly, her serene smile still in place.

"My name is Song."

"Song?" Greysight repeated, still clueless to who this she-cat was. "Why are you here?"

The she-cat known as Song lowered her eyes sadly, but her smile remained in place. "It's strange," she meowed quietly, "That you are the only cat I am able to reach here." Her eyes rose to meet Greysight's, and Greysight was shocked to see tears forming in the corner of her eyes.

"I want to thank you all, for taking care of Moonfur."

Greysight's eyes widened in shock, she had thought the she-cat looked familiar. The pale color of her fur matched Moonfur's completely, and she could see the resemblance clearly now.

She watched as the she-cat sniffed, "I'm so happy," she meowed, despite her tears. "Please." Her eyes met Greysight's, causing the blind she-cat to blink once more.

"Tell Moonfur...we love her."

The light surrounding Song increased, and the she-cat began to fade away, becoming one with the whiteness surrounding them.

"And also...I'm sorry..."

Greysight had to squint her eyes from the harshness of the light, and as she opened them again, she found herself lying in her nest.

The world was dark again, no trace remaining of the previous light she had been surrounded by. Greysight had to stand up and feel the area around her to be sure she wasn't dreaming. The dream had seemed so real.

_'Moonfur...' _

Greysight shook her pelt off hurriedly and stepped out of the empty warriors den, it appeared she had overslept. As the cold wind hit her on her way out, Greysight flinched. Not only because of the cold that chilled her body, but the memories of the previous night.

_'Mom...' _Greysight stopped where she stood, eyes staring blankly ahead. Longtail was gone.

* * *

"Mommy?" a tiny voice mewed, her mother licking her fur as she responded briefly to her question.

"What is it sweetie?"

It was silent for a moment, the tiny she-kit staring blankly at the roof of the den above them. "What is it like...the green?"

Longtail's licking stopped, and she stared at the tiny kit with a hint of surprise and an underlying sadness.

"I hear the other cats talking about it," she mewed, "But I still haven't seen it."

Her head turned towards her mother and towards the warmth she could feel flowing from her body. "I've been waiting for a long time, but nothing seems any different..."

"Greykit," Longtail began, "You're not like the other cats, you're...special."

"Special?"

"Yes. You're different from the other cats." Longtail meowed, soothingly. "You will never have to experience the pain of watching others around you suffer..."

Greykit huffed and turned her head away from the sound of Longtail's voice, displeased with her response.

"Greykit, you know that you will never be able to see like everyone else does."

Greykit's face straightened, "What if I want to see?"

Longtail watched Greykit curiously as she spoke up again,

"It's hard to understand. When I asked Fernstep the other day what the new buds were like, she told me they were fresh and green. I asked her what she meant by 'green'. she told me that it meant they were bright and colorful..."

"What does it mean to be bright? I'll never even be able to understand things like this. Everyone else has an entire world available to them, a world I can never be a part of," she paused, "Why do I have to be so _different_?"

Longtail touched her nose to Greykit's forehead,

"That's just the way StarClan made you."

* * *

She wished she had paid attention more, now that she thought about it, it seemed like Longtail was always trying to tell her something important. _'Why didn't I ever listen? I was too concerned about myself...'_

The guilt filled her heart, making it feel heavy in her chest; weighing her down.

_'I'm so sorry...I couldn't do anything...I let you down.' _She let a weak smile grace her features as the wind once again ruffled her fur.

_'I know you probably don't hear me, but...You were always there for me. Even though you were upset and hurting on the inside, you always put me and my dreams first...At first I was angry at you for lying to me...but I know you were only trying to keep me safe, and happy. You didn't want me to feel hurt like you were, but I know it wasn't a lie. I love you...and I know you loved me too. I promised you I'd look after Mintpaw, and I always will. She's my little sister-_

_'And...you'll always be my real mom.'_

After another moment of silence, Greysight padded forward. She still had something she needed to do. She didn't know why Song had come to her, but she felt obligated to tell Moonfur. Would Moonfur believe her? That was the question, and even more; how would she react?

She was going to head for the nursery when another thought stopped her in her tracks. Sunstar. Where was Sunstar during all of this? He hadn't even been at the vigil...

Greysight could feel her claws just itching to dig their way into the ground. How could he? He had never cared enough for Longtail, or her. Did he know? Had he let her grow up living under the impression that he was her father, and making her feel like she was never good enough? No one was ever good enough for him. Not her, not Longtail, or Lostheart... Lostheart. She would need to talk to her again...Greysight sighed, feeling more tired and depressed than ever.

_'I don't know what to do anymore...'_

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**Sorry update is late, I have finals next week so it's been slow BUT it is almost winter break :D And I'll have plenty of time to type then. Thoughts and comment in reviews! WAIIT. There is something I've been wanting to adress for a while. I get a lot of messages from people asking me to read their stories and stuff, but I just don't have the time to look at them all. And in all honesty, I have never in my life read a warriors fanfiction. I know, your mind just imploded, but its true. I write one, but I don't really read them. I guess I'm just not interested. It makes me feel bad that I can't look at them all for you guys though. :(**

**Lost**

**P.S I have a new poll up on my profile but im thinking of changing it soon, as in now xD So there is a NEW NEW one**

**P.P.S I have been wanting to draw a new image lately. Maybe a scene or just a char, any suggestions/requests?**


	40. Chapter 40: Parents

Moonfur perked up as soon as she heard someone padding into the nursery. "Thistleprick is that you? I told you I don't want-"

Moonfur blinked when she recognized Greysight's black form and sightless, gray eyes. She definitely hadn't expected to see the she-cat, especially so soon after Longtail's death. Greysight still looked exhausted, and Moonfur couldn't help feeling sympathy for the blind she-cat. She knew what it was like to have your mother die in front of you, although Moonfur supposed that for Greysight, it was much more painful. Their relationship had been a close one, and unlike her, Greysight grew up with the love of her parent.

"Hello Greysight," Moonfur meowed, in an effort to sound somewhat cheerful; although in actuality, she didn't feel like it. She felt cold inside, like a part of her had died back in the river...But she couldn't dwell on these things, she had to make sure her kits were safe...for Ice.

Greysight's ear twitched in acknowledgement at the sound of Moonfur's voice and she moved to sit beside the pale she-cat's nest. "I may not be able to see your expressions, but I can feel your movements and catch the different tones of a voice." Greysight stated. "You weren't expecting me."

"No, I wasn't." What Greysight said was true, but it was not just because of Longtail's recent death that Moonfur was surprised to see the she-cat. "I thought you would be involved with OceanClan negotiations. I can't because I have to stay in the nursery."

Greysight blinked, cloudy eyes turning upwards in confusion. "Negotiations?" All thoughts of why she had come to see Moonfur in the nursery were temporarily lost as Greysight took in Moonfur's words.

"Yes. Lostheart and the others agree that we seek out cooperation from Brisingstar, they just need to ask Sunstar and come up with a complete plan." Moonfur's voice was dull, lacking much interest or emotion. She cocked her head to one side, eyeing Greysight curiously. "Did you need something?"

"Yeah, actually I do..." This plan for OceanClan was news to her, but she would definitely need to speak with the others about it, and then there was the matter of Sunstar... _'No.' _Greysight shoved the thought of the golden tom out of her mind, she needed to tell Moonfur about her dream. It was important.

Still...how would she do it? It wasn't exactly something she could explain easily, and there was no telling how Moonfur would take it. Greysight had never spoken much about her dreams before to anyone, and it wasn't exactly something she wanted to speak about. What would the clan think? Their own medicine cat couldn't get dreams, yet she could. What if Sunstar wanted to make her a medicine cat?

_'No. It's not my path, I was meant to be a warrior.' _Besides, these dreams were simple nightmares-figments of her imagination... There was no deeper meaning, but then why-

"Greysight?"

The concern in Moonfur's voice caught Greysight by surprise, and she realized that she had been standing in silence for a long time.

"What did you want to tell me?"

"Make sure there aren't any drafts in here, Roseclaw wants you to stay warm. I remember there were always a bunch popping out of nowhere when I was a kit. We would hate for you or your kits to catch a cold, and Roseclaw will have my tail if you do." Greysight laughed, smiling slightly.

Moonfur let out an annoyed sigh. "I'm fine, everyone needs to stop worrying about me for StarClan's sake."

Greysight shrugged with smirk on her face. "We're just excited is all. I better go check out these negotiations, I'll see ya later."

Moonfur watched as Greysight sauntered out of the nursery, it was clear to her that Greysight was still upset about her mother. The blind she-cat was trying to play it off like she was fine, but Moonfur could see the pain hidden in her expression. It was Greysight's pride that refused to let that pain show through she supposed.

* * *

Greysight left the nursery swiftly, immediately scanning for her clanmates as she stepped into the clearing. Sure enough, she could feel them gathered in one end of the camp near the leader's den. They turned towards her upon her approach and for a moment it became silent, the cats wondering if they should say anything about Longtail.

"What's this about a trip to OceanClan?" she meowed, trying to ignore what she knew they were all thinking

"We _want _to, but the old coot won't come with us." Thistleprick replied lazily. Darkpelt's eyes immediately snapped to the tortoiseshell, his fur bristling with anger.

"Don't talk about your leader that way!"

Thistleprick only shrugged, a smirk on his face. "What? It's the truth isn't it?" This only seemed to irritate Darkpelt further, allowing a low growl to rise in his throat. "You may not understand what it means to be a warrior, but as long as you're living here with us you have to at least pretend. A clan leader deserves the utmost respect!"

Browneyes stepped forward, sensing the sudden rise in hostility among the cats; including Greysight herself. "We all agree it would be best if Sunstar actually came with us this time, he and Brisingstar have a past together and they are relatively close if I'm not mistaken."

Raggedear nodded from where he sat beside the silver tom. "Except Sunstar doesn't want to come." he cut in. All attention turned towards Raggedear, and the cats suddenly became quiet.

"I was about to try and reason with him." Lostheart meowed to Greysight. The blind she-cat opened her mouth to respond, but was promptly cut off by Darkpelt who snorted loudly.

"You think he'd listen to you?"

Lostheart faced the large white tom, but her expression remained unchanged. "No, I don't."

"I'll do it", Greysight meowed suddenly, "I was just coming to talk to him anyway. The rest of you can set up the plans while I do."

Despite the scowl on Darkpelt's face, even he didn't protest to Greysight's volunteering. She glanced at the other cats to be met with no objections. "Then it's decided." Greysight meowed turning and heading toward the large stone den. "I won't be long."

* * *

The air inside the den was heavy as usual, and the little light they had in their territory glowed dimly inside the cave through small cracks randomly spread among the rock. Sunstar was in his usual spot, his back turned from the entrance. "I've already told you-" he growled, turning to look at the cat who had entered his den, but he stopped when he realized it was Greysight.

The last time the blind she-cat had entered his den, the two had broken out into an argument...over Longtail. It all seemed pointless now, seeing as the catmint did nothing. Longtail was gone, just like the others. He was alone now, the last of his generation, stuck to lead a clan of young inexperienced cats. He let out a small breath, revealing his tiredness. Had she come to blame him for Longtail's death?

"What is it, Greysight?"

Greysight was silent for a moment, wondering just exactly how she would start. "...Why did you lie to me?" She decided to take the direct route, not wanting to speak with the tom for more than what was necessary. After everything that happened between him and her mother, she didn't want to be around his presence.

Sunstar blinked at the she-cat and slowly rose to all fours. "What are you talking about?" he growled. He hadn't lied about anything, he had let them go to OceanClan and he agreed to do it again, so why was Greysight in here accusing him of lying? "I've already agreed to let you go to OceanClan, get out of my den."

"No. About me, Longtail told me-"

This seemed to catch Sunstar's interest and he looked at the she-cat with confusion. "What did Longtail tell you?" Had the she-cat said something about their past to Greysight? Then again, he couldn't see how any of that would pertain to the blind cat.

"Longtail told me that I'm not your daughter. Not hers, and not yours. Who am I?!"

Sunstar's eyes widened slightly, and the tom stood frozen in place. "No...that can't be." he muttered, fixing his narrowed eyes at Greysight. "That's...ridiculous." Sunstar finally growled, shaking his head in denial. But even so, everything seemed to click into place. Greysight had been an odd kit; he had always thought it strange that she possessed none of their physical qualities, but he had written it off as the will of StarClan. The more he thought about it, the more plausible the idea seemed. If Longtail had said it, then it must have been true...but why didn't she tell him? Greysight was not his daughter, and she never had been. That meant that there was only Lostheart, and Mintpaw.

The thought brought him a great deal of anger, causing him to dig his claws into the ground. Longtail had_ lied_ to him! He had been able to deal with Lostheart's presence only because he had thought that there was hope for his line in Greysight. Her blindness had always been an issue, but the she-cat's abilities were a wonderful asset.

... Greysight wasn't his daughter.

_'Longtail, you...'_

Hearing Sunstar's reaction only worried Greysight further, and she stepped forward cautiously. "Am I even a clan cat? Where do I come from? Please tell me!" There was a look of desperation in Greysight's expression as she spoke those words. "I need to know who I am!"

"...I cannot say for certain." Sunstar meowed dully. "Did you know you were born during a fire Greysight?"

Greysight blinked, surprised by his calm tone. "Yes..." Realization dawned on her, "If I was born here, then my mother must have been a clan cat!" Sunstar must know who the queen was!

_'Was...' _Greysight had already assumed from the way Longtail had spoken that something had happened to her birth mother, and Sunstar's bringing up the fire left a cold feeling in her chest.

"There was another queen at the time, she and Longtail had gotten trapped in the nursery...When we returned, only Longtail was alive."

"...Who was she?" Greysight asked mutedly, desperate to find out anything she could about who her parents might be.

"Her name was Windstream. She was prepared to raise her kits, even alone after her mate, Neoseeker, was killed during the raid by the foxes." Sunstar's voice had become dull, as if speaking about these cats brought him memories of his past.

"What else can you tell me? Why didn't you tell me when I was a kit, or even when I became a warrior?!" Greysight demanded.

"You think I knew about this?! I was lied to just as you were, to believe someone was my own kin..." Sunstar hissed, making Greysight jump slightly at the venom in his voice. Her mouth formed a thin line, realizing that she may have overstepped her boundaries. She took a step back, retreating from the golden tom.

"Thank you for telling me Sunstar."

The golden tom had already turned away from her, the fur on his back beginning to lie flat again. Greysight took it as her sign to leave and silently backed out of the den, letting out a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding as soon as she stepped out into the clearing again.

_'Windstream and Neoseeker huh?' _Greysight smiled softly to herself, somehow feeling happy just by knowing those names. Although she still wondered why Longtail had hidden it from the rest of the clan, a part of Greysight knew that it had been for her. She felt more at ease now, knowing that she was a DarkClan cat. Although it left an empty feeling inside her, perhaps never having met her parents was a good thing; she supposed it would feel a great deal more painful if she had.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**I have some sketches ready, and when I finally get on break I will draw them up. :)**

**As for questions:**

**Song is not as random as you might think, she's been watching over Moonfur for a long time, just as Moonfur watches the moon. Like she stated, she was unable to ever reach Moonfur, or any other cat in the clan except Greysight. She had finally managed to find a link out of desperation after Moonfur had tried to drown herself. She was speaking about Lostheart in particular, but Greysight doesn't really know what is going on, at all. Because Moon and Lost didn't tell her about the river incident, and Moon didn't say much about her family to Greysight at all.**

**I think some of the other questions I received have been answered in this chapter, or at least alluded to. :)**

**Questions and comments in reviews!**

**Lost**


	41. Chapter 41: Fruitless Effort

It was not much of a surprise that Greysight left the leader's den and was promptly faced by her clanmates. Thistleprick leaned forward eagerly, eyeing Greysight with a doubtful expression.

"He's not coming, is he?"

Browneyes deflated a bit, but none of the cats looked particularly surprised. "So what now?" asked Browneyes. "Are we still going?"

Greysight stepped forward adamantly, a new look of determination on her face. "Of course we're going! Right, Lostheart?" She turned towards the black she-cat's scent in hopes of having her support.

Lostheart made a small nod and rose to her paws. "We have to try, with or without Sunstar. I have a feeling that it would be much easier if he came with us, but that's not going to happen. We'll have to try and win Brisingstar over on our own." Lostheart wondered just exactly how the OceanClan leader would take it. The whole forest was ruled by anxiety over Willowstar's actions, even more so now that Light and Tree had joined forces. Based on his behavior at the Gatherings, Lostheart knew Brisingstar wanted as little involvement as possible, it would not be easy to get him to concede. She had hoped that Sunstar's presence would change his mind, especially because of the two leaders' history, and Sunstar's help in removing Dualstar from power. Brisingstar certainly owed DarkClan, the question was whether or not he would honor his debt.

"So what do we do?" Thistleprick meowed airily, gazing into the trees above. Lostheart surveyed the group, quietly thinking about which cats to take with her. She didn't want to take a large group, worried that it might set off the OceanClan cats. Raggedear was out of the question, although she didn't doubt the tom, she couldn't take the risk... Bringing well known warriors like Darkpelt and Greysight would not be a good idea either, she didn't want Brisingstar feeling threatened. Roseclaw and Moonfur needed to stay in the camp for her quickly approaching kitting, and bringing a medicine cat apprentice for the arrangement was unnecessary. It wasn't like Sunstar was going to join them anytime soon, and that left two cats...

"Browneyes and Thistleprick will come with me to OceanClan. The rest of you should remain in camp, it would be helpful if you would run a hunting patrol as well." Lostheart's last statement had been directed at Darkpelt in particular, and the great tom nodded in agreement.

"Sweet!" Thistleprick turned to Browneyes at his side. "This should be interesting, huh?" The tom had a smirk on his face, but his eyes seemed to be saying something different. Lostheart didn't think much on it, and instead turned to Greysight, who did not look too happy with the arrangement.

"You're taking _him_? Why can't I go? I went last time." Greysight respected Lostheart's judgment, but Thistleprick was...Thistleprick. If that tom messed something up...

"I think it's for the best if you stayed in the forest. You have the best hunting skills, and we're nearly out of our food storage. We need to make sure we have enough, we have more lives to worry about now beside our own." Personally, if it was possible, she herself would not go. The only reason she had to was because she was deputy and Sunstar refused. Her presence was not welcome, and she knew it.

The looks she had been given last time were still clear in her mind. They didn't trust her, they were afraid. She doubted any cat would want to listen to her, and even if they did, why would they agree to anything she said?

Greysight conceded with a slight nod and tired eyes. "Okay." Lostheart was right, their food store was down to two squirrels after having gone through leaf bare. Newleaf would begin soon, and it would be a perfect time for catching prey...if there was any left. Greysight turned suddenly, narrowing her eyes towards Thistleprick's form. "Don't screw this up for the rest of us." she hissed venomously.

Lostheart glanced at the cats around her, it appeared that they were done. "I don't want to stay too long, so we'll try to get back as soon as possible." Lostheart turned and padded away from the group and toward the tree tunnel. Raggedear exchanged a small glance with Thistleprick before the tom hurried after Browneyes and Lostheart.

Darkpelt grumbled something as they disappeared into the forest before turning to Greysight. "I'm going to hunt near the Dead Oak, I want you to try Blue Hole. Try not to come back before catching anything."

"Yeah, I know."

Darkpelt frowned and padded away toward the camp entrance just as the others had, leaving Greysight and Raggedear alone in the clearing. Greysight let out a small sigh and stretched out her forelegs, _'Might as well get it done now.' _She began to follow after Darkpelt, but stopped when she felt Raggedear stepping after her.

Greysight blinked and turned to face him. "You need to stay here and guard camp, Lostheart didn't say for you to hunt."

"I know."

Greysight's frown turned downward in confusion. "Then what-"

"Please stop treating my brother like that."

His words took Greysight by surprise, what did he mean 'treating him like that'? Its not like she was abusing him or anything. Greysight let out a small smirk. "I had no idea my opinions bothered him so much that he has to complain to his brother about it." Was Thistleprick actually getting hurt over her words?

"He hasn't said anything to me, but I want you to take it easy on him. He hasn't done anything wrong, there's no need to be so harsh." Raggedear replied.

Greysight sighed again. "Alright, fine. I'll try to lighten up." She honestly just wanted to hunt and get it over with, and she wasn't in the mood for arguing. Without giving Raggedear another chance to speak, she padded away toward the tree tunnel, fully intent on finding a nice blackbird. It was her favorite after all.

* * *

The walk to the OceanClan border was a surprisingly quiet one, neither Thistleprick nor Browneyes bugged Lostheart for any details. Which was good because it allowed her to think. She would be the one who had to negotiate with Brisingstar, she only hoped the OceanClan leader would at least consider it. Being together would greatly increase the defense of both clans, and she would be lying if she said DarkClan wouldn't be happy to share in their great supply of fish.

If he had really tried, Lostheart believed Sunstar could have helped greatly. Without him, bringing up Dualstar wouldn't have as great of an effect in conversation. Hopefully Brisingstar would listen to her reasoning and keep in mind that DarkClan had given them their territory back.

The warriors came upon the OceanClan border, and from where they stood, they could see the waves rolling in the distance. Now they would have to wait for a border patrol, but Lostheart didn't think it would take too long. There was no doubt in her mind that Brisingstar hadn't increased patrols due to the climbing tension in the forest between the clans.

Thistleprick stepped forward, scrunching up his nose at the heavy scent of salt in the air. "I don't think I could ever get used to the smell of salt and fish all the time. Then again, twolegplace didn't smell all that great either. Hmmm, I can't say which I prefer."

Lostheart blinked when she realized he was talking to her, and offered a small shrug in response. She still found it strange that Raggedear and Thistleprick acted normally around her, even since the day they saw her, neither tom had seem bothered by her appearance in the slightest. It just wasn't something she was used to.

"Well I've only been able to see twolegplace from the swamps, and from what you say, that isn't even the half of it." Browneyes meowed, offering a smile towards the other two cats. "We've been living in this forest for centuries, all DarkClan cats know the story of how Xander won us our independence in the great clans of old."

Thistleprick stretched his body, letting out a content breath of air. "Well, we could be here a while. Might as well tell it." The tortoiseshell tom began to settle himself in the grass, tucking his paws underneath him.

Browneyes prepared to settle beside him. "Okay, we'll-" He stopped as a single gray ear suddenly twitched. He glanced at Lostheart and saw that he wasn't the only one. Browneyes stood up straighter and squinted ahead to see the approach of cat-like figures. Thistleprick blinked, looking between the two.

"They're coming." Browneyes meowed.

"What? Already?" Thistleprick meowed, stumbling to his paws. "And here I was just starting to get comfortable." He padded up between Lostheart and Browneyes and squinted ahead to see if he could recognize any of the cats. Which he couldn't, which wasn't very surprising considering how long he had been in the forest.

Lostheart, on the other hand, recognized all of the cats, even if only by appearance. Among the group were the same apprentice and mentor from the last time she had been here, only this time instead of Hawkmask accompanying them, there were two other warriors in her place.

One of the she-cats paused as she saw the DarkClan cats waiting by the border and promptly said something to the warriors accompanying her. Both of which followed her gaze and immediately quickened their pace.

"Here they come." meowed Thistleprick. "Let's see how this goes, huh?"

The group approached them quickly and quietly, not uttering a single word until they had reached the border and stood across from the DarkClan cats, eyeing them carefully. It was a large gray tom who finally stepped forward to speak.

"Why do DarkClan cats wait at the edge of our territory?" his eyes narrowed slightly, as if trying to intimidate them. Despite this, Lostheart could see the fear hidden in his eyes. What was he so afraid of? In fact, as she realized it, the other cats looked anxious as well.

"Why have you come back here? Have you returned to take even more of our precious herbs?"

Lostheart stood calmly despite the toms accusatory tone, and both Browneyes and Thistleprick looked to her from the corner of their eyes. Wondering what, if anything, they should do.

"We are not here to take your clan's herbs. Sunstar has sent us to speak with Brisingstar, he has a proposition that would be in the best interest of both our clans." Lostheart meowed in a calm tone that she hoped would help reassure her clanmates.

"Don't listen to her."

Lostheart's caught the sound of a small whisper coming from the warrior's side, where she saw the apprentice from before eyeing the DarkClan cats with both fear and vehemence. "They'll take our food and murder our kits." His eyes landed on Lostheart and he shrunk back, eyes wide upon realizing the she-cat was watching him.

A light tabby she-cat by his side flicked the apprentice with the tip of her tail, giving him a warning look. "Hush, Skypaw." The young gray and white tom flinched slightly and shut his mouth. The gray warrior seemed to consider his words for a moment, "If its so important, why didn't Sunstar come himself?"

Lostheart had been afraid of something like this, the OceanClan cats didn't trust them. "Sunstar is busy with other things, so he sent me in his place." Her words came out sounding colder than she had intended, but there was not much she could do about her voice.

The warriors continued to look unsure, and each were sending each other wary glances. "And this is in the best of both our clans' interests you say?" Lostheart, Thistleprick, and Browneyes each nodded at the gray tom, causing him to sigh and shake his head softly.

"Okay..." he meowed, causing his clanmates to look at him in shock. The tom blinked through dark, green eyes," My name is Foamstep, and this is Skypaw, Clamtooth" he gestured toward the tabby she-cat, "and Dunefur." The warriors regarded them with small nods, but still looked uncomfortable with Foamstep's decision.

"-But Foamstep! Brisingstar said-"

"Skypaw! Hold your tongue!" Dunefur hissed. "You should know better than to interrupt your mentor." Skypaw closed his mouth and turned away from Dunefur, clearly embarrassed by her scolding.

"I think we all know you three." Foamstep continued. "Lostheart, Browneyes, and Thistleprick correct?"

It was no surprise that the OceanClan cats were aware of their identities. Lostheart, whether she wanted to be or not, was known throughout all the clans. She had quite the reputation, and it seemed that she had even made it into the tales mothers told their kits. No doubt OceanClan would not be pleased to have her in their camp again.

Foamstep had recognized Thistleprick from the recent Gathering, and although he was wary of the rogue, he tried hard to hide it, as well as the other warriors accompanying him. Browneyes, however, had the best name of them all. He was very involved with clan meetings and participated in many conversations, he was well known by many warriors.

"Come, we will take you to see Brisingstar."

* * *

"What is the meaning of this?"

Lostheart, Browneyes, and Thistleprick were each taken aback by the hostility in Brisingstar's tone as he approached them inside OceanClan's camp. Brisingstar's deep blue eyes focused on the patrol surrounding them, "I thought I told you, no more visitors! Was that not my order?"

Brisingstar looked more tired than anything, and Lostheart could understand the leader's frustration. "We wanted to talk with you about the recent developments between LightClan and TreeClan." Lostheart meowed.

Brisingstar's eyes focused on the strange black she-cat, instantly recognizing Sunstar's daughter and the cat known throughout the clans. "Is that why you have returned here? I thought I made it clear at the Gathering, I want no involvement with any of your or TreeClan's quarrels."

It appeared that this was not the best time to approach the OceanClan leader, but they didn't have a choice. "There is a chance Willowstar will come after OceanClan as well. If we ally ourselves with each other, we may be able to stop him. Both our clans would be safe."

Brisingstar's eyes narrowed, "Safe? My clan would only be put in harm's way, and for what? DarkClan's sake?"

"DarkClan gave you back your territory when you needed it, and do not forget what Sunstar did to free your clan. If it wasn't for DarkClan, you would still be living under the tyranny of Dualstar."

"OceanClan has long since returned the favor for our past. And I was kind enough to allow DarkClan to take some of our precious herbs, was that not enough for you?" Brisingstar paused to give the DarkClan cats a long look, his gaze lingering on Thistleprick in particular. "I know DarkClan has been pushed to taking drastic measures, and I agree that Willowstar has overstepped his boundaries as a clan leader. However, there is nothing I can do, this is a matter for StarClan."

Browneyes suddenly stepped forward, dipping his head respectfully. "We understand you only want the best for your clan, and we want the same. Maybe together, we can change things."

Brisingstar's eyes closed slowly before re-opening to meet the cats with a impassive expression. "I am sorry, but I will not put my clan in that kind of danger. It would prove to be only a fruitless effort. Times are changing, and I must do what is best for my clan."

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**I did manage to draw up Raggedear and Thistleprick, although I did mess up on Raggedear. :P You can see it on my youtube, I haven't drawn a bg yet, but I will eventually. I really suck at bgs. I can't believe were almost to 200 reviews, and I want to thank everyone whos still reading. I know we still have some unanswered questions, but if we didn't then where would our story be? ;) **

**Lost**

**P.S Probably going to put up a new poll**

**P.P.S Hope everyone has a great holiday!**


	42. Chapter 42: New Hope

The return trip to DarkClan was a disheartening one, and a cloud seemed to hang over the three cats as they returned to the dying forest they called their home. Now what would they do? Lostheart felt a new wave of doubt come over her, OceanClan wouldn't help them through this. They were alone. Not even StarClan had contacted them...but why? When did StarClan become so silent, why weren't their ancestors guiding them?

It was unusual that Thistleprick had remained so quiet during their little trip, and even now Lostheart found herself watching the tom from the corner of her eye. Browneyes let out a breath he had been holding since they first set paw in OceanClan territory. "Now we're gonna have to tell everyone..." he muttered dully.

"Yeah." Thistleprick replied, all the usual enthusiasm and spirit in his voice was gone.

That was about the extent of their conversation as they passed through the woods and around the Dead Oak, making their way to the camp. _'We have to come up with a new plan.' _Lostheart mused...But what could they do? As Lostheart walked on under the spots of light shining through the dark canopy of the trees, a certain thought came to mind. Silentshadow had always told her there were many other cats in the world, and that it extended far beyond the valley they lived their lives in. She had left once to find help, but maybe this time...they should leave for good.

Browneyes must've mistaken the concentrated look on her face for fear because the tom quickly shot her an awkward smile. "It'll all be okay in the end." Lostheart looked at the tom and blinked briefly before nodding silently and turning her head back forward.

The dark passage leading into camp stood before them, the thorns they had enforced the camp with remained in place, encircling their home completely. Absentmindedly, Lostheart wondered if it would really do any good.

Not long after they padded through the tree tunnel and set foot in camp, Mintpaw came rushing towards the group with a wide smile on her face. She scrambled to a stop, panting heavily before looking up at the three warriors now watching her with a questioning gaze.

"Moonfur had her kits!" Mintpaw exclaimed. "There's five!" Browneyes and Thistleprick both immediately brightened up with wide, excited grins.

"Really?" Browneyes meowed.

Mintpaw nodded enthusiastically. "Yes! You can go see them now if you want. I think Darkpelt already has."

Browneyes nodded with a slight chuckle, of course his brother would want to see the 'new recruits'. Thistleprick blinked, smile still in place. "Where's Raggedear?"

Mintpaw shrugged. "I haven't seen him, but make sure you both stop by to see the kits!" With her final words, Mintpaw scampered off toward the medicine cat den where Roseclaw was just now stepping out.

Before Lostheart could say anything, both Browneyes and Thistleprick each padded off to accomplish their own tasks, leaving Lostheart by herself. Lostheart turned toward the nursery, watching it from a distance. Kits were good news.

However, her paws remained in place. _'Is it really good news?'_ Lostheart wondered. They could barely care enough for their clan as it was, and with the threat of Willowstar, they were already in danger.

"Lostheart, you're back; I'm assuming Mintpaw already told you the news?"

Lostheart turned to see Greysight padding toward her and nodded in greeting despite the fact that the she-cat couldn't see her. "Yes, but I'm assuming you haven't heard ours. OceanClan refused." Lostheart meowed. "Brisingstar refuses to become involved."

Greysight scoffed. "I'm not surprised...Let's try not to think about that sort of stuff right now." she meowed with a smile. "Why are you standing out here? Aren't you going to see the kits?"

Lostheart shifted quietly, beginning to feel uncomfortable. "I don't think so, I'm not good with kits. I've never really liked them much anyway."

Greysight gave Lostheart a kind of half smile and padded over to the she-cat, using her head to push her forward. "Come on," she meowed, "I know Moonfur wants you to see them."

Lostheart was taken aback by the sudden motion, but conceded after a few nudges. "Fine, I'll go." Her eyes turned toward the vine structure sitting only a couple fox lengths away from her and she warily began padding forward. The sound of kits mewling could be heard from inside, along with the sound of Moonfur's hushed tones as she tried to quiet them down. In truth, a part of her did want to see the kits, but...

Lostheart came to the entrance and paused briefly. How long had it been since she had come into this portion of camp... The black she-cat avoided it for a reason, and even now it was hard to will her paws forward and inside the nursery.

Lostheart took a step inside and instantly froze. It was...exactly as she had remembered it. It was almost as if nothing had ever happened. Turning to look toward her right, Lostheart saw the small alcove under the base of the tree, it's roots covering the hole, making it hidden to the naked eye.

That was where her mother had hidden her the day the fox attacked... Blinking slightly out of her daze, Lostheart's eyes drifted toward the back of the nursery where she saw the small alcove in the vines where she spent most of her kithood. With tired, dull eyes, Lostheart looked down at the ground beneath her paws that was now covered in leaves. Her mother had died here...

Instantly the memories of violence and blood came crashing into her mind causing her to clench her eyes shut tightly. No, she had tried so hard to suppress them, why did she have to start thinking about it now?

But she knew the answer. She was standing in the place it had happened, not once had she ever been in this place since she was a kit, she avoided it...for obvious reasons.

"Lostheart, you're here!"

Lostheart snapped back into reality and turned to see Moonfur lying in a freshly made nest to the left of the den. From where she stood, Lostheart could see five small shapes nestled against her belly. Moonfur smiled lightly as Lostheart walked over and looked down at the kits.

"They're...great." Lostheart meowed, unsure of what to say. Moonfur didn't seem to mind and leaned down to gently lick one of the kits.

"I wanted to thank you." Moonfur smiled genuinely at Lostheart. "If it wasn't for you...thank you. I still don't know what kind of mother I'll be, but I'm going to try. For my kits, and for Ice." It became quiet as Lostheart watched the kits and Moonfur, in turn, watched her.

"Two she-cats and three toms." Moonfur meowed, catching Lostheart's attention once more. "There's Warkit, Branchkit, and Wetkit." Moonfur meowed nudging a small black tom with gray splotches who was curled up next to a brown kit, and another white kit with brown spots. "And the she-cats are Goldenkit and Amberkit."

Lostheart nodded, examining the kits. "And they're all healthy?" she questioned.

Moonfur nodded happily, but Lostheart could see how tired the she-cat was. "Yes, Roseclaw already took care of everything. They're all fine."

_'That's a relief.' _Lostheart thought. She looked back at Moonfur and met her own heterochromic eyes. "I'll let you rest now." Lostheart meowed, backing away toward the den's entrance.

"Wait." Moonfur meowed suddenly, causing Lostheart to stop and turn back towards the pale she-cat. Lostheart was surprised to see Moonfur looking concerned, and was immediately anxious about what could be wrong.

"What is it?" Lostheart meowed calmly, none of her worry showing through in her voice.

"Have you seen Raggedear?" Moonfur meowed hopefully. "Everyone's seen my kits but him, even Sunstar came..."

"No, I haven't. Sorry, Moonfur."

Moonfur conceded with a tired nod. "Its fine, I understand." She shot Lostheart another small smile as the black she-cat exited the den. Sighing to herself, Moonfur wrapped her tail around her kits and leaned down to rest.

* * *

"Raggedear! Raggedear!" Thistleprick called. The calico tom was now pacing around the trees, looking for his brother. He had already looked all over DarkClan's camp, but Raggedear was nowhere to be seen and no cat knew where he was.

Thistleprick quickened his pace as he ran through the forest, violet eyes searching carefully for any sign of his brother. They hadn't been separated for ages, and Thistleprick couldn't help the feeling of instant worry that came over him when he thought of his brother alone.

Raggedear could be hurt, or have gotten attacked by a fox or even a cat from Tree-Light-WhateverClan. Then there was the possibility that Raggedear could have hurt someone else, including himself...

"Raggedear! Please come out! Where are you?!" Thistleprick ran past the trees and into the long, brown grasses of the field. The sky was dark with the threat of a storm, and the wind was already blowing through the grass.

_'Come on...' _ His eyes scanned the landscape carefully, focusing on every little detail around him. Suddenly, violet eyes widened as he caught sight of a black and orange shape hidden in the grasses. Thistleprick wasted no time running out into the fields and toward the crouching figure, and sure enough, as he approached, he could see his brother's familiar shredded ear.

"Raggedear." Thistleprick meowed, keeping his tone soft. This couldn't be a good sign, and he had figured since his disappearance...

"Follow, follow, follow. Always following me." Raggedear hissed, rising to his paws and whirling around to face his brother, fur already standing on end. Thistleprick felt his heart drop inwardly.

Thistleprick sighed. "What are you doing out here Raggedear? Don't you want to see Moonfur's kits?"

At this Raggedear laughed, a small chuckle at first before an all-out bought of laughter. It ended just as quickly as it begun as Raggedear's head snapped back toward Thistleprick, eyes filled with the familiar bitter hatred of this Raggedear. A small grin broke out on his face and he shook his head chuckling to himself.

Thistleprick remained silent, watching Raggedear with an even expression that he knew was best when dealing with this side of Raggedear.

"You, you know what's _funny_?" he laughed before snorting in amusement. "He actually thought she liked him." Raggedear laughed again, tears nearly coming to his eyes. "He's so pathetic, so weak. He _actually _thought that she- that she _liked _him!"

"Let's go home Raggedear."

"Why would anyone like him? I'm the strong one, I'm the better one." Raggedear's amusement seemed to vanish and his mouth straightened into a thin line, which soon became an angry scowl. "Disgusting kits, from some disgusting random tom."

"Let's go."

"I'm not going anywhere!" Raggedear hissed. "And you can't make me." Thistleprick let out a small breath and stepped closer toward Raggedear, who suddenly leapt back with a toothy grin.

"How about I take a nice stroll through TreeClan territory? I'm sure they would be _thrilled _to find him on their territory, wouldn't they?" Raggedear smirked as he saw the subtle change in Thistleprick's expression.

"No, please don't." Thistleprick meowed, his eyes pleading with the other cat. "Don't do that Raggedear."

"I can do whatever I want. He deserves it." Raggedear spat. "All the time, thinking he has friends, that someone would actually like, actually tolerate him. He needs to open his eyes." His smirk returned as he eyed Thistleprick once more, yellow eyes gleaming.

"Can you imagine? His body ripped to shreds, beaten within an inch of life, begging for mercy that will never come. Wouldn't that just be so entertaining?!"

Thistleprick padded toward the his brother, meeting his angry gaze. "I know you're in there Raggedear." Raggedear pulled his head back in revulsion, eyes lit up in anger.

"Think of our new clanmates. Think of Moonfur and Browneyes and Darkpelt, your friends. They're all waiting for you to come back, and I know Moonfur wants you to see her kits."

"I am Raggedear!" Raggedear yowled, tossing his head in frustration before collapsing onto the ground completely, claws digging into the earth. His body began to twitch and his claws came to grip the top of his head in agony.

"No! Stop!" Raggedear's body continued to twitch for a moment longer before his shoulders began to relax and his paws slowly fell to the ground. There, he lay unmoving, the wind ruffling his fur.

"...Thistleprick?"

Thistleprick padded to his brother's side and rubbed his head against Raggedear's affectionately. "What did he do?" Raggedear meowed, his voice hollow.

"Nothing." Thistleprick meowed, "It's okay, he didn't do anything."

Raggedear remained unmoving, still not having looked up. "I can't go back. Everyone would be in danger, the kits would be in danger. I don't belong there...I...I don't want to hurt anyone."

Thistleprick helped pull Raggedear to his paws, "You won't, not while I'm around. Okay? I promise." Raggedear turned away from his brother, still not convinced.

"Hey," Thistleprick meowed, "Look what you did today! You forced him back all on your own. You're stronger than he is Raggedear, don't ever forget that."

Raggedear finally turned to look at Thistleprick, "I did..." he meowed, becoming silent for a moment. "I guess we should get back... it looks like a storm is coming doesn't it?" Raggedear asked, looking up at the sky through tired eyes.

"Yeah, it does."


	43. Chapter 43: Five Moons Later

"Raggedear, Thistleprick! You're here." Moonfur meowed. She hadn't seen either of the toms the day before, but she was glad they were visiting her kits now; they must have been busy with their warrior duties.

Thistleprick grinned as he and Raggedear padded towards her. "Yup, we couldn't miss anything now could we?"

Moonfur smiled softly at both the toms and looked down at the kits nestled up beside her. "This is Warkit, Branchkit, Wetkit, Goldenkit, and Amberkit." She leaned down to lick the top of a small brown tabby's head and purred softly.

"They're great." Thistleprick meowed genuinely. Moonfur was about to reply, but stopped when the sound of mewling broke through the air and she could felt a great movement at her side. Moonfur blinked down at the kits and shook her head. In one swift move, she gently grabbed hold of a small black and gray kit and pulled it off the others.

"Warkit is always bothering his sisters." Moonfur chuckled lightly. "But I guess that's what little brothers do."

Thistleprick and Raggedear both nodded wordlessly, and a new silence began to make it's way over the three warriors. Thistleprick glanced at his brother from the corner of his eye, noticing the anxiety in his form. While Moonfur leaned down to bathe one of her kits, Thistleprick leaned over to Raggedear. "Calm down." he whispered. "Everything's fine. You should say something."

Raggedear gave his brother a doubtful glance, and he was about to ask what he should say when Moonfur suddenly looked up again. "Did you say something?" she meowed.

Raggedear stood frozen for a moment before blinking and looking down at the kits. He bent his head down a bit and gestured at a dark tabby. "Er-What's this one's name?"

As soon as he spoke, the kit began mewling, raising it's head as if searching for the sound of the voice. Moonfur looked at the she-kit in question with a smile, "Amberkit. I think she's looking for you."

Raggedear shifted to one side awkwardly, his torn ear twitching once; Thistleprick grinned and nudged his brother's shoulder with his own. "See, kits do like you."

Raggedear shot his brother a look of slight annoyance, but Moonfur could see the ghost of a smile on his face. It made her glad; she hoped that Raggedear was beginning to feel happy living in the Clan.

* * *

Five moons. Five moons and still Willowstar had yet to make a move. Lostheart didn't understand, what was he waiting for? Over the course of _five _moons, nothing had happened. Nothing at all. Gatherings were calm, and despite the tension that all the clans knew was there, they carried on as if everything was normal. Were they trying to act as if nothing had happened? Whatever the case, DarkClan refused to let their guard down.

Patrols were run at a constant rate, and now that newleaf was here, they could begin to increase their number of hunting parties as well; not that it would guarantee them any more prey than usual. Things were beginning to grow tense within the camp, and the cold feeling of fear was beginning to set in amongst all the warriors.

Lostheart's eyes fell as she looked up through the trees and at the small patch of dull, gray sky that was visible beyond the leaves. Her ear twitched suddenly at the sound of laughter and rapidly approaching pawsteps. She had only a second to step out of the way as Amberkit and Branchkit flew past her, leaving her to stare after them with an unchanged expression.

"Sorry, Lostheart!" they mewed in unison, laughing as one wound around the dens trying to avoid the other. Lostheart said nothing, remembering when she and Roseclaw used to run around camp like that; they were so carefree, having no idea about what lay beyond the walls of the camp's thick trees and thorny barrier.

At least they were growing up healthy, and newleaf was to thank for that. She didn't know what they would have done had the kits been born in leafbare.

Greysight suddenly burst out of a nearby bush, scaring the two kits half to death. Branchkit and Amberkit let out a shriek before falling over, while Greysight let out a mrrow of laughter and moved to pull the kits back onto their paws. "Greysight!" Amberkit exclaimed, looking up at the blind warrior with large amber eyes that glowed with admiration; Branchkit only laughed. "You got us!" he meowed.

"Yeah, I did! Watch where you guys are running from now on, okay?" Greysight replied.

"Okay!" Amberkit meowed, pawing at her brother. "We need to go find Warkit anyway." With their final words, the two kits scampered off; presumably to find their brother in question.

Greysight smiled and moved to join Lostheart. The red-eyed she-cat had watched the exchange silently from afar. Greysight was always good with kits, and she seemed to like them quite a bit. It wouldn't be long until the kits would need mentors, a thought that once again reminded Lostheart of Willowstar's threat.

"Already five moons old.." Greysight meowed, "Do you think Sunstar knows?"

"I'm sure he does. I've actually seen him around camp lately, yesterday he led a hunting patrol." Lostheart answered. Maybe Sunstar had actually thought of some way to deter TreeClan, that or having apprentices motivated him toward the idea that they could do something.

"Yeah, I know." Greysight's voice had become serious as she thought of the tom that she had previously believed to be her father. He needed to do something; the plan with OceanClan didn't work out, but they couldn't give up. If it was up to her, Greysight would launch an inside attack on TreeClan, there had to be LightClan cats who didn't agree with the merge. All they had to do was find and take down Willowstar before they got overpowered.

Their conversation was interrupted as an unexpected yowl sounded from the center of camp. Both she-cats turned in surprise to see that Sunstar had leapt on top of the leader's den and was preparing to hold a clan meeting. There hadn't been an official clan meeting in moons, what could he possibly be planning?

Greysight exchanged a glance with Lostheart before both she-cats moved toward the center of camp where their clanmates were gathered. Moonfur padded to join them, and together the three she-cats took their places, staring up at the rock curiously.

"Did he tell either of you about this?" Moonfur asked.

"No." Lostheart meowed, "I don't think anyone knew."

Moonfur nodded and stretched her forelegs, tired from the recent round of patrols. Moonfur had refused to sit around all day, and instead chose to keep up her warrior duties along with caring for her kits. Mintpaw had been helpful enough to watch them while Moonfur was out, and in the process, the medicine cat apprentice was able to branch out her studies.

Despite Moonfur's schedule, the she-cat made a wonderful mother; and each of her kits was strong and happy. Speaking of the kits, they were now playing in the space in front of the toms while the warriors waited for Sunstar to speak.

Sunstar stepped forward, eyeing the crowd before him impassively, revealing nothing of what the he was thinking. "Cats of DarkClan, as you know, Willowstar has taken a vow to destroy this clan. Because of this, we must do everything we can to stop him. Our own lives depend on each other." He paused to look down at the cats, his eyes falling on Moonfur's kits still playing in the dirt.

"I have made the decision to begin apprentice training at the age of five moons in order to better prepare our cats for the future." At this, the kits perked up, suddenly finding interest in the clan meeting.

"Apprentices? We get to be apprentices early?!" Warkit meowed in surprise and excitement. No outward protests rang out from the crowd, and the warriors merely continued to watch with doubtful gazes.

"Sunstar, aren't they a bit young?" Roseclaw meowed, looking up at her leader. "DarkClan's training methods have always been more...rigorous than the other clans', I don't think they're ready for that."

Beside her, Lostheart could see the slight worry in Moonfur's eyes, but she was a bit surprised that the she-cat hadn't spoken out.

"You may lighten up on training exercises, but my decision remains. Today, these kits are apprentices, they must be prepared for what is to come. Darkpelt, you will mentor Branchpaw, Raggedear will mentor Amberpaw, Browneyes will mentor Goldenpaw, and Greysight will train Warpaw."

_'What about Wetkit?' _Lostheart questioned inwardly.

It was almost as if Sunstar heard her question as his eyes landed on the kits once more. "Wetpaw will train as a medicine cat apprentice. I expect training to begin immediately." Dark green eyes met the eyes of his warriors, expression showing his full seriousness. "You are now free to plan your schedules. That is all."

Lostheart was a bit glad the kits had been born into the clan as it was now, she would've hated for them to be disappointed to not receive an official apprentice ceremony. However, the only thing the newly dubbed apprentices seemed to be showing was excitement. Their tails twitched in excitement as the cats gathered around them, congratulating them on their new apprenticeship.

Lostheart was just happy to stay back and watch with Moonfur. The pale she-cat wore a soft smile on her face as she watched her kits interacting with their new mentors. Thistleprick padded up beside them, a pout on his face.

"Why didn't I get chosen to be a mentor?" he asked dejectedly.

Moonfur laughed and flicked him with the tip of her tail. "Its not really a big secret that Sunstar isn't fond of you."

Thistleprick snorted but said nothing more as he watched both his brother and Darkpelt speaking with their apprentices. Lostheart wasn't too surprised either, both for her and Thistleprick. She didn't expect to get an apprentice, and honestly she didn't expect Sunstar to give Thistleprick one either.

It wasn't like she wanted one... _'I could never deal with an apprentice. I wouldn't know what to do or say...' _And besides, Lostheart didn't want to harm any of Moonfur's kits. They probably wouldn't have wanted her for a mentor anyway.

Her eyes drifted over to Wetpaw where the white apprentice was now speaking with both Mintpaw and Roseclaw near the medicine cat den. She felt bad for the apprentice, Sunstar never even gave him a say in whether or not he actually _wanted _to be a medicine cat.

Moonfur followed Lostheart's gaze and her own eyes dulled slightly. "I think Wetpaw will be okay, he's a very kind, accepting tom." Moonfur smiled lightly, "I think he'll like it." Moonfur knew that Wetpaw was often pushed around by his brothers and sisters, and had an overall quiet nature, being a medicine cat just might be the right path for him.

Lostpaw blinked, eyes focusing on the small, brown spotted tom. She never had a desire to become an apprentice, but then she got to know Ivyfoot...

"Yeah, I think he'll be fine. Roseclaw and Mintpaw are good teachers."

The three warriors watched as Roseclaw led the two apprentices away, Mintpaw chatting away at Wetpaw who continued to nod hesitantly at her excited words. It was good that the medicine cat apprentice didn't feel angry about having to share a mentor, but then again, in a way it meant that she was a sort of mentor as well.

* * *

Branchpaw felt uncomfortable as Darkpelt loomed over him, eyes examining the apprentice with little interest. The warrior didn't look impressed. Darkpelt's deep azure eyes narrowed slightly, "We will begin training at sunhigh, battle training is our first and foremost priority. Make sure that you are prepared."

Branchpaw's tabby pelt twitched under Darkpelt's intense gaze. "Yes, sir." he stuttered, nodding a little too quickly. Darkpelt made a slight sound of acknowledgement and stalked away, the muscles within his pelt moving with every step.

The kit would need to build up muscle if he ever wanted to make it in the warrior world, and for his sake, Darkpelt hoped he was a natural born fighter. It was bad enough that these cats were not Clan born, even if there was hope for the future of the clan, it would never truly be DarkClan. Not ever again.

Greysight had felt when Darkpelt moved away, and her attention was quickly drawn to the apprentice now sitting dejectedly alone in the clearing. "Come on, Warpaw." she meowed. Together, Greysight and Warpaw padded over to Branchpaw, causing the tabby to look up suddenly.

"Training in the morning right? That's the plan for Warpaw and I too." Greysight meowed, flicking her quiet apprentice with the tip of her tail. "You two should both go check out the apprentice's den," she leaned down so that she could whisper in both the apprentices' ears. "Better take the good spots before your sisters get them."

Branchpaw's face broke out into a grin at her words and he and Warpaw quickly ran off to follow Greysight's suggestion. Greysight smiled as they did so; the kits- no, apprentices were so excited. Sure they were young, but that didn't mean they couldn't be just as good as the other clans' apprentices. If she could make it as a blind cat, then they could easily begin training at five moons.

Hopefully Darkpelt wouldn't go pushing Branchpaw too far, it was her only worry. If anything like that happened, she would be forced to intervene. Greysight sat down, discreetly 'watching' the other two warriors.

Browneyes seemed to light up with Goldenpaw, and she could hear the soft sound of the silver tom's encouragement. Raggedear and Amberpaw sat further away on the other side of camp, but she was sure they were fine as well.

* * *

Raggedear smiled awkwardly at the dark tabby she-cat now staring up at him through wide, curious, amber eyes. "I guess I'm your mentor now." he meowed. Amberpaw smiled and nodded her head, "Mhm."

Raggedear twitched slightly and returned the smile. "I'll show you the territory tomorrow, and we might even be able to get some hunting in if that goes by quickly enough." Raggedear wasn't exactly sure if they were supposed to do something specific, after all, he had never been a mentor before.

He and Thistleprick hadn't even been around other cats since they left their home, and that seemed like a lifetime ago. Raggedear began to feel tense, his tail twitching slightly. "I'll see you tomorrow then, sunhigh."

Amberpaw didn't seem bothered by Raggedear's lack of conversation and nodded again. "Okay. We'll have a lot of fun, I know we will!" The young she-cat quickly scampered away, tackling her sister as the two ran toward the apprentice's den.

_'Young cats shouldn't have to begin fighting this early...' _Raggedear shook his head. Why did they have to pick him to be a mentor?! He couldn't do this! Being alone with another cat all day, Moonfur's daughter... He couldn't let Amberpaw get hurt.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**Sorry this took so long, it was kind of difficult to write too, being as slow as it was. Yes, I had to do a timeskip but only because it was necessary and nothing really happens during that time. ALSO, I am in the process of making a video. It will be a small scene from SoTH, im not sure how long it will take because Im really not a good animator. The reason im making it is because my parents know i love animations and drawing and stuff like tht so they bought me this expensive video editing software, and id feel bad if i didnt at least try to put it to use... Hmm what else, ah yes, because of this chapter updates may be slower and also because I have another SAT I.E crazy test of death that will determine my life coming up again. Its my last one so I really have to make it count, and then I have schoolwork in general. **

**Lost**

**- if i had to guess number of chaps left id say less than twenty**


	44. Chapter 44: New Generation

Greysight awoke to feel a cold chill running down her spine, it had happened again, the dream. It was the same every time; the blood seeping up from the ground around her, rising until it consumed her and drowned her beneath it. It was...disturbing to say the least. She had much preferred it when Mosspelt would visit her in her sleep.

What ever happened to the former medicine cat anyway? Her visits had stopped so abruptly, and nothing the she-cat said before ever seemed to make sense to Greysight. Despite this, Mosspelt's words always seemed to make her feel a great sense of foreboding.

_'I can't tell anyone about the dreams...' _Greysight reminded herself, it would no doubt only send their clan into a deeper sense of paranoia. The dreams could be dealt with later, right now all they needed to focus on was Willowstar.

With a small huff, Greysight pulled herself up from her nest, stretching her forelegs out in front of her. She could hear the sound of the other warriors breathing, and could feel the presence of their bodies around her. _'Good.'_

She was actually up early for a change. The thought left Greysight with a wry sort of grin. Perhaps it had been because of her impatience to begin training an apprentice of her own...or had it been the nightmare?

The blind she-cat shook the thought from her mind and padded out of the warriors den, noticing the humidity in the air that morning. She wanted to make sure to get a meal of her own before taking her apprentice out. Apprentice. The word sounded so strange to her, it seemed like it was only yesterday that the black she-cat herself had been named an apprentice.

_'And just look at me now.' _She was a strong and feared warrior throughout all four- three...clans. If only the cats from her childhood could see her now, a full blind warrior, the best in her clan; and now, a mentor to her very own apprentice despite being at a young age herself.

Greysight's stomach growled in hunger as she picked out a blackbird she had left in the clan's prey storage. She would make sure to be the best mentor she could be, both for herself, for Warpaw, for DarkClan...and for Cherrynose.

Greysight smiled as she ate as thoughts of her mentor came to her mind. Cherrynose was a hero, and she always would be. Greysight would make sure that every future DarkClan cat would know the story of the spunky warrior who had, with her own paws, stopped TreeClan in their invasion of DarkClan territory.

Cherrynose had always been kind to her, and unlike the other cats, she supported Greysight's goals and wasn't deterred by her blindness. _'It must have been difficult...' _Greysight mused, thinking back. Training a blind cat couldn't have been an easy task, but Cherrynose had done it, for her.

The she-cat had trained her to be the best she could be, and now, Greysight would make sure to do the same for Warpaw; Moonfur's son. She was his mentor, the one who would guide him in life, his very life could depend on her training.

* * *

"This is the Dead Oak." Raggedear meowed as he and Amberpaw stopped to take a break in front of the large, bare tree. A couple of crows were seated in it's branches, but they didn't seem to pay the two cats any mind.

"Wow." Amberpaw meowed, looking up into the dark, twisting branches. "Its huge, has anyone ever tried to climb it?"

Raggedear followed her gaze at the question, the oak was indeed huge, he would even go as far to say as it rivaled Fourtrees. "I'm not sure." he replied. "I didn't grow up in this forest; Thistleprick and I, and your mother, we all grew up in other places."

Amberpaw nodded at his words, but Raggedear could still see a mischievous glint to her eyes. "Don't go thinking about climbing it, it isn't safe. That tree looks like it could have been dead for centuries."

They had already made a full circle around the territory, but rather than hunt just now, Raggedear thought it might be a good idea to get some training in. It was just like everyone said; there was no telling when TreeClan would attack, the sooner the apprentices were prepared, the better.

"We'll go to the training hollow and see if we can get some training in for today, Sunstar doesn't want any apprentices training after dark." Raggedear meowed thoughtfully.

"Okay." Amberpaw meowed, her tail twitching in excitement. She couldn't wait to begin training, she couldn't let her brothers pass her by.

The walk to the training hollow was a short one, and as they got closer, Amberpaw and Raggedear could hear the sound of cats sparring in the clearing. Raggedear pushed through the brush with Amberpaw close to his side. The first thing he saw upon entering the clearing was Branchpaw being tossed in front of him.

The young tom scrabbled to his paws quickly in surprise at seeing the mottled warrior and his sister. Darkpelt looked up from where he stood across the clearing as well. "Raggedear." he meowed. "Are you here to train?"

Raggedear blinked for a moment, distracted by Branchpaw's heavy breathing. However, the apprentice didn't seem to have any physical wounds. "Yes, but if you two are busy we can begin our lessons tomorrow."

Branchpaw suddenly looked worried and shook his head. "I'm fine. I can go on!" he breathed. "A warrior must always push themselves and use every drop of strength in their body to continue on."

Darkpelt relaxed his shoulders and padded towards the group. "We're finished for today," he meowed, fixing Branchpaw with a stern look. The apprentice nodded sharply and stood up straighter, "Yes sir!"

With one final glance at Raggedear, Darkpelt padded out of the clearing with Branchpaw trailing close behind. Raggedear frowned a bit, but said nothing, instead choosing to lead Amberpaw into the sandy hollow. Once they had reached the center, he turned toward the young she-cat expectantly, only to be surprised by the troubled look on her face.

"What's wrong?" Raggedear asked, confused by her sudden change in demeanor. Amberpaw looked up at the tom hesitantly, shuffling her paws. "We don't have to go that far do we?"

After seeing how tired and uncomfortable Branchpaw looked, Amberpaw began to feel worried. She wanted to train, but that didn't look like fun... It looked like it hurt.

"No, of course not." Raggedear meowed, looking down into Amberpaw's troubled gaze. "We go at our own pace, just you and me okay?"

"Okay." Amberpaw meowed, a small smile now on her face. It made Raggedear feel relieved, but it also reminded him of his own fears. "We'll do things together, our way."

* * *

The training itself had gone better than expected, Raggedear had taught Amberpaw the basic moves and positions, and the apprentice seemed to catch on quickly. He let out a tired breath and padded closer to Amberpaw who was now resting against the hollow log. Her eyes perked up on his approach and watched as he sat beside her.

"You did a good job today." Raggedear meowed, albeit a bit awkwardly; still not exactly sure on how to communicate with other cats, let alone young ones.

"You did good too." Amberpaw meowed. "I'm glad you're my mentor." At first, she had been a bit wary of Raggedear because the tom had always been a bit scary looking, but he was nice.

"Yeah, me too."

* * *

Lostheart picked up her pace as she moved through the brown grasses of the field; she had already caught a rabbit, but that wouldn't be enough. The clan needed even more fresh kill than normal now that the apprentices had grown.

She stopped for a moment to taste the air, sighing inwardly when she could detect nothing. The black she-cat had already begun to feel hungry herself, and her throat felt dry with thirst. The stream bubbled only a few tail-lengths away; and Lostheart, giving in to her thirst, padded up to the water to take a drink.

She was further down than usual, and the water here ran more rapidly here due to it's proximity to the waterfall and trench. It was a good place to watch where you placed your paws, even for a cat who knew how to swim. The water itself was refreshing, and she immediately felt like she had more energy. Now all she had to do was find some more prey.

Lostheart's ear twitched as she caught the soft sound of approaching pawsteps from across the stream, she immediately looked up and took a few pawsteps back, watching for the approaching cat.

Pineneedle suddenly appeared from the grass on the TreeClan side of the field, surprising Lostheart slightly, although her expression on the outside remained unchanged. The dark tabby met her eyes with a condescending smirk, his own green eyes flashing in a way that resembled his father's.

"Well, well. What do we have here?" he meowed. "I thought I smelled something foul." Lostheart said nothing, not wanting to rise to the tom's baiting. She was on her side of the territory and he was on his. However, her eyes drifted to the small shape standing behind TreeClan's deputy.

To her surprise, a small kit padded up beside Pineneedle's side and gazed at her in both fear and awe.

"If it isn't Lostheart, the demon cat of DarkClan." Pineneedle sneered, using her so-called title amongst the clans.

"What do you want?" Lostheart meowed, her eyes falling on the spotted kit. Pineneedle noticed her gaze and grinned down at the kit, "I was just helping Flowertail take her kits out for a stroll, and as luck would have it, I've come across you. How convenient..."

Lostheart's eyes narrowed slightly at the tone of his voice, and she prepared to turn away, but a shrill cry caught her attention. She looked back in shock to see Pineneedle push the kit into the stream, it's head swiftly disappearing under the surface as it was swept rapidly downstream.

For a second, Lostheart was frozen, eyes locked onto Pineneedle as he watched her with a satisfied smirk. He pushed the kit, one of his own clan, a kit into the river, _'What do I do?!' _Lostheart thought frantically, she couldn't do nothing. Lostheart's gaze returned toward the water rushing ahead of her_, _she was already taking way too long! It was a TreeClan cat- but it was just a kit! How could Pineneedle- and to his own clan?!

_'Move!' _Without even a glance at Pineneedle, the she-cat was off, running by the side of the flowing water. _'Where is he?!'_ Lostheart's eyes scanned frantically over the water until she caught sight of a small bobbing shape before it was pulled under the current once more.

Lostheart gritted her teeth and gave another dash of energy, her heart already pounding rapidly in her chest. If it was any other cat, it might have been impossible for them to catch up to the water's speed, but running had always been Lostheart's specialty. All those laps she ran as an apprentice weren't in vain.

_'Now!' _Lostheart leapt off the side of the bank, plunging headfirst into the rushing water. Her eyes snapped open, and through her blurred vision, she make out the shape of the small sinking kit. Using all her strength, Lostheart pressed her feet off a rock and propelled herself forward. Once she had the kit firmly between her teeth, she swam upwards, fighting the current that tried to suck her back down.

_'Almost...' _The light of the surface was right above them, just visible beyond the watery depths. She could already feel her throat beginning to tighten and her lungs begging for air. _'Please be okay...'_

Lostheart broke through the surface with an audible splash as she paddled forward against the current, holding her head up high to keep the kit's head above the water. Her legs already felt as heavy as led from all her running and swimming, it felt almost as if they would explode should she continue. If this kept up, they would both be swept away, and the waterfall wasn't far.

_'No. I won't...let...that happen!' _With a mighty heave Lostheart pulled herself toward the bank, scrabbling to get a firm hold with her claws. Slowly and painfully, Lostheart pulled herself from the bank, sides heaving. She immediately placed the kit on the ground as she caught her breath, and pressed against it's side in an urgent manner.

The kit wasn't breathing. _'Come on...'_ Lostheart begged, shaking her head to get rid of the beads of water dripping into her eyes. After a few more pushes, Lostheart finally stopped and removed her paws, staring down at the kit with a somber expression. It was no use, the kit was gone.

Lostheart stared at the tiny drowned body in front of her. _'I couldn't save him...' _It was just like Ivyfoot and the bird. _'I took too long...I failed. This kit is dead, and it's all my fault.' _Her eyes widened slightly at the realization.

A loud wail made her head snap up, causing a few droplets of water to fly off her fur. A cream colored she-cat stood a few tail-lengths away from her with Pineneedle by her side. The she-cat let out another wail, one full of sorrow and rage. Her eyes locked with Lostheart's and Lostheart could see the small traces of fear lingering in her eyes.

"My baby!" she cried. Beside her, Pineneedle stepped forward, his face contorted in anger. "How dare you!" he screeched. The she-cat beside him began to shake with tears, the kits standing behind her looked up at their mother in confusion, not understanding what was happening. "I'm sorry," Pineneedle muttered to her, "This is all my fault. I couldn't stop her, when I wasn't looking she grabbed Maplekit and..."

Flowertail looked up at Lostheart with eyes full of hatred. "Why?! Why would you do this?! You monster, get away from him! TreeClan doesn't want the likes of a demon like interfering with our lives, I know the things what you've done! Everyone knows! Does it amuse you, to destroy the lives of others?!" She cried, tears raging down her face.

Lostheart blinked, her mouth open slightly from trying to catch her breath. She wanted to say something, to tell the she-cat that she hadn't done anything...but she would never believe her. Not over the word of TreeClan's beloved deputy.

"Willowstar will hear about this, he'll make sure you pay!" Flowertail yowled. "You'll pay for taking away the life of my kit!"

"Get off our territory DarkClan filth!" Pineneedle hissed, a smirk hidden behind his words. Lostheart met his eyes evenly, and she could see the look of contentment in his eyes, the look of satisfaction.

It disgusted her.

Slowly, Lostheart rose to her full height, looking down at the kit remorsefully. _'I'm sorry...' _Without so much as another word, she leapt across the stream and back onto DarkClan territory, racing off into the familiar darkness of the dying trees.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**I'm unhappy this came out sounding rushed, when it really wasn't; it actually took quite some time. :/ I forgot what I was going to say here...**

**Lost**


	45. Chapter 45: Pineneedle's Actions

The water on Lostheart's pelt had yet to dry completely, even as she went back to pick up her stored pieces of prey. She couldn't believe a cat could so easily harm a kit like that; and look so pleased about it, it really bugged her. Why? Why had he done it?

It was an obvious way to make their lives more difficult she supposed, but was it really worth taking the lives of their own kits? Then again, cats like Pineneedle and Willowstar probably couldn't care less about kits as long as they had enough warriors to go around. There was a good chance that kit might have actually been a LightClan cat...

There was no doubt in her mind that Pineneedle and Flowertail wouldn't keep their word; and once Willowstar knew, that just might give him the incentive to attack. Regardless of whether Willowstar himself knew about the set up or not. Murderer.. they were lies, lies that spread from Fernstep and her kits since she was young; and now she had a permanent reputation amongst all the clans.

There had been that one time, but she didn't mean to do it...or had she? Lostheart dug her claws into the ground as she mulled over her thoughts. He deserved it, he killed Ivyfoot...

But would Ivyfoot have really wanted her to? Lostheart's eyes fell without the answer even being said.

Still. What they were saying was so wrong, so...horrible. Lostheart, the demon cat of DarkClan; an evil kit cursed by StarClan at birth, murdered her own mother, and went around murdering kits and warriors alike in the darkness of the night. Meeting her on the battlefield was sure to be a sign of death to come, just like the cold color of blood and death in her eyes.

Lostheart scoffed and continued on, she shouldn't let them bother her, she knew they weren't true; and for the most part they didn't bother her, she was used to it. But that one, about her killing her mother...she hated it.

The tree tunnel came into view, and as she entered, Lostheart made another attempt to shake the water from her pelt. She would have to tell the others about her run in with Pineneedle that was definite, the tom had to be up to something.

Lostheart padded into the camp and was pleased to see that the rest of the clan was already inside, Sunstar had made it so that all apprentices had to be in before nightfall, so she wasn't surprised or anything. Most of the cats were sitting with their new apprentices and sharing what little food they had. Lostheart padded to the center of camp and lay down her catch where the fresh kill pile would be, grabbing a mouse for herself.

It was good that everyone was sitting together, it would make it much easier to tell them about what had happened. Sunstar was out as well, lying on top of his den, and from the corner of her eye she could see him watching her.

Lostheart padded over to the others; they barely spared her a glance as she sat down, all too caught up in their own conversations to notice. All except for Moonfur. As soon as Lostheart padded over, the pale she-cat turned toward her curiously.

"Lostheart, you're all wet. What happened? Did you go for a swim?" she asked. Moonfur doubted Lostheart would have just fallen in, or was she trying to fish? At Moonfur's question, the other cats turned to look at her as well, noticing her damp form. All their gaze suddenly turning on her made Lostheart feel uncomfortable, but this was important.

"I ran into Pineneedle at the TreeClan border." Lostheart meowed.

"On our territory?!" Darkpelt growled furiously.

"No." Lostheart replied, shaking her head, "He stayed on his side of the border."

The apprentices were watching the warriors talking amongst them curiously, they knew about TreeClan, their mentors had made sure to tell them of their rival's position. Pineneedle was TreeClan's deputy, just like Lostheart.

Moonfur was beginning to feel worried by the way Lostheart spoke, and even more by her appearance. The stream was on the TreeClan border...what had happened? Lostheart knew they were all waiting for her to explain, so after taking a small breath, she continued. Even Sunstar was looking down at the group, listening with narrowed eyes.

"I was out hunting when he suddenly appeared from across the stream, he had a kit with him. I had no intention of speaking to him, and I was about to leave; but before I could, he threw the kit into the river." The cats' eyes visibly widened at her words, and Moonfur and Roseclaw looked horrified.

"One of his clan's own kits?!" Browneyes asked in astonishment. His apprentice, Goldenpaw, looked up at Lostheart from his side, "You didn't leave it did you?" she meowed, eyes wide with fear.

"It was a TreeClan cat!" Darkpelt hissed. "Why would you save it?"

"I tried." Lostheart meowed. "But by the time I reached him, he was already gone." Her eyes met Darkpelt's impassively, "The warrior code states that no cat should watch a kit in pain and do nothing, even cats from another clan."

Darkpelt said nothing, but seemed to quiet down in defeat.

"Then what? You didn't just leave it there did you?" Thistleprick asked.

"Pineneedle re-appeared with another cat. It was a set up, he blamed me for murdering the kit."

Sunstar suddenly leapt down from his den and stood with the group, a serious expression on his face. "Do you realize what you've done?" he hissed, not giving her a chance to answer him. "You should have just let it be! Now Willowstar might be provoked to attack, you could have very well just killed us all with your foolish actions!"

"Even if I had left the kit to die, Pineneedle would have blamed me all the same. My word is nothing over his, he's the TreeClan deputy. They wouldn't have believed me even if I had told them the truth." Lostheart defended.

"She's right."

All eyes turned toward Browneyes as the silver tom rose to his paws. "This is what he wanted, there was no way of avoiding it. I bet he was out at the river to drown the kit himself, and then blame it on DarkClan. It was just a case of being at the wrong place at the wrong time."

Sunstar scowled and turned his eyes toward the whole group, "You'd better prepare your apprentices." he meowed. "Start group training and speed up the process, cats without apprentices, its up to you to keep a constant patrol on the TreeClan border."

Thistleprick's eyes nearly bugged out of his head at Sunstar's words, "But what about hunting?" he meowed, a slight edginess to his voice.

"Hunting will be done at sunhigh and sundown, everyone will hunt. I'll leave it to all of you to decide who hunts when. If _anyone _sees any sign of TreeClan movement, alert me immediately." Sunstar made sharp turn away from the group and disappeared into the confines of his den.

Everyone suddenly appeared more tired after Sunstar walked away, some more than others... "You heard Sunstar, let's set up a schedule." Darkpelt meowed.

* * *

Greysight let out a laugh as she and Warpaw raced through the forest; they had just finished their hunting patrol and were now on their way to the training hollow; the blind she-cat had decided to put up a race for her apprentice.

Greysight leapt into the hollow with ease and waited for her apprentice to catch up, but it wasn't until after she leapt through the bushes that she noticed both Browneyes and Darkpelt were training their apprentices as well.

Warpaw padded out of the bushes, breathing heavily; once he caught up to her, Greysight flicked him with the tip of her black tail. "Nice try."

Darkpelt, Browneyes, Branchpaw, and Goldenpaw were now watching the new pair with interest. "Hey, Greysight." Browneyes greeted. "Want to train with us?"

Darkpelt shot his brother a look that clearly showed he was displeased with the suggestion. Greysight grinned, "Sure." Although she couldn't see it, she knew Darkpelt couldn't look very happy at the idea.

"Warpaw's been coming along quite quickly. I'm sure he can keep up." Beside her, Warpaw nodded; Darkpelt snorted, making Greysight face him with a grin. "Here Warpaw, why don't you and Branchpaw do a practice fight, if you think he's up for it that is." Greysight meowed to Darkpelt.

Darkpelt narrowed his deep blue eyes and nodded gruffly before turning towards Branchpaw. "Go on." he meowed, gesturing towards the center of the clearing while Goldenpaw and Browneyes moved to sit to the side.

Branchpaw quickly obeyed and joined Warpaw in the center of the clearing, each getting into the battle positions they had been taught.

* * *

Raggedear had chosen to take Amberpaw in a quieter part of the forest near Blue Hole. It was a lot less noisy, and he wanted to stay away from large groups, at least for now.

"Watch your balance!" Raggedear meowed quickly as Amberpaw lurched on her paws to avoid his swipe. Amberpaw was able to catch her paws just in time to duck and swivel around Raggedear, but she wasn't quick enough. Raggedear flipped around with ease and blocked her path, "You're faced with a warrior much larger and faster than yourself," he meowed," What do you do?!" Raggedear leapt forward, preparing to pin the apprentice under his weight.

Amberpaw's eyes widened at his quick movements, and in a final move, she leapt over Raggedear's head and toppled off his back, landing in the dirt with a thud. Raggedear blinked as the she-cat suddenly disappeared from front of him, and turned quickly fearing the apprentice had gotten hurt.

What he saw relieved him. Amberpaw sat sitting awkwardly on her back with wide eyes, it reminded Raggedear of the twolegs. Slowly, Amberpaw blinked, and their eyes met.

The apprentice burst out laughing a wide smile on her face, "You should see your face!" she meowed through giggles, despite the fact her tabby pelt was now full of dirt. Raggedear couldn't help laughing a bit himself at the situation.

"You should see your face." he meowed, pulling her back onto her paws.

Amberpaw's laughter died down a bit and she managed to breathe out a few more words. "When faced with an enemy larger than yourself, try to go for their legs and avoid getting grabbed. If you can, run away or find help from another apprentice or warrior."

Amberpaw shook off her pelt, letting a slight cloud of dust form in the air. She looked up and met Raggedear's yellow eyes. "I used to think you were scary," she meowed, "But you're not."

Her word caught Raggedear off guard for a moment, and the mottled tom had to blink to collect himself. "Ah, well...thank you." he replied, unsure of what exactly he would say. It was already beginning to get dark out, and Amberpaw would have to return to camp soon. "I think that's it for today; you go ahead and head back to camp, I have to switch patrol duty with Thistleprick."

Amberpaw nodded, "Okay, be careful!" The apprentice spared Raggedear one last smile before sprinting away and leaving him alone in the forest. A small smile grew on the warrior's face and he shook his head as he turned to walk in the direction of the TreeClan border.

Thistleprick was sure to have headed back at the first signs of darkness, so he doubted he would run into his brother. He allowed himself a relaxing sigh, it had certainly been a busy day; and although the training felt rushed, he hoped it would pay off in the end.

It made him..happy. Amberpaw trusted him, the thought made him suddenly feel much lighter as he continued on under the trees.

_'Ah, but she doesn't know what you've done does she?'_

Raggedear stopped abruptly at the cold voice in his head, eyes widening slightly. It had been a long time since he had heard that voice, and subconsciously he began to dig his claws into the ground.

'_Go away...'_ Raggedear thought angrily, _'Leave me alone.'_

_'None of them know, do they? I wonder what she would think of you, what they would all think of you; when they discover that poor, kind Raggedear-'_

_'STOP!'_

Raggedear's eyes were clenched shut as he forced back the voice in his head, once again trapping it in the deep recesses of his subconscious. His paws shook lightly and he had to swallow back the cold feeling that had grown in his throat, but he was right... That was the thought that troubled Raggedear the most.

They didn't know, and he would make sure it stayed that way. It might have been selfish on his part, but this was the first time he was actually beginning to feel like...like he belonged. He didn't want to give it up.

* * *

"Block Branchpaw! You won't get an opening while dancing around him!" Darkpelt ordered, watching as Branchpaw and Warpaw continued their match. Branchpaw's eyes flickered momentarily toward his mentor, distracting him from the fight. Warpaw saw the opening, and quickly tackled his brother.

"Nice one!" Greysight meowed, "Keep him down!"

Branchpaw struggled beneath the black apprentice, but Warpaw continued to keep him locked to the ground. Branchpaw let out a growl and jammed Warpaw in the stomach with his hind legs, successfully causing the spotted apprentice to stumble back and allow him to crawl out from under his paws.

Branchpaw took a swipe at Warpaw, but the young tom was quick, and as Branchpaw leapt to follow up his swipe, Warpaw leapt by him and tackled him again. From there the two apprentices rolled across the clearing in a mass of fur and flailing paws.

"That's enough." Darkpelt meowed, causing both the apprentices to stop in their fighting and look up at him. He looked up toward the darkening sky with a frown. "We're finished for today, you've both done well." he continued. "Greysight, Browneyes, you two take the apprentices back to camp. I have to take Lostheart's place on the border."

"Okay." Browneyes answered. "Be careful."

"Yeah." Darkpelt shook his flecked pelt before walking off into the brush, the white of his pelt disappearing into the darkness. Branchpaw and Warpaw disentangled from each other and padded up to join the warriors.

"You all did very well; I can see that your training has been successful, Greysight." Browneyes meowed. "Darkpelt's right, we should get back now."

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**Branchpaw- Brown tom. Green eyes.**

**Warpaw- Black tom with a few gray spots. Amber eyes.**

**Amberpaw- Dark brown tabby she-cat. Amber eyes.**

**Goldenpaw- White and gold she-cat. Green eyes.**

**Wetpaw- White tom w/ brown spots. Green eyes**


	46. Chapter 46: The Prophecy

Raggedear groaned slightly as he lifted his head, blinking awake. He could feel Thistleprick asleep beside him, and nudged him slightly with his paw. "Wake up, Thistleprick, you know you have guard duty." Thistleprick muttered something incomprehensible, causing Raggedear to roll his eyes.

The tortoiseshell tom sat up abruptly and gave his chest fur a few quick licks before running his paw over his damaged ear. He stepped over Thistleprick and made his way to the entrance of the den, silently taking note that everybody else had already awoken. He had to blink his eyes to adjust to the dull light of the day, and wearily padded into the clearing.

Amberpaw was sharing what looked like a rabbit with Moonfur a couple of fox-lengths away. Raggedear gave a final yawn and stretched his forelegs as he padded over to join them, not noticing the dark figure sitting in the shadows.

"Good morning, Raggedear." Moonfur meowed as he walked up to them. Amberpaw turned quickly, "Hi Raggedear."

"Amberpaw, I was wondering if you wanted to be one of the cats on the hunting patrol this morning. Greysight and Warpaw already left, but you'd end up splitting up anyway." Raggedear replied, hoping he would get the chance to speak with Moonfur again, the two of them hadn't interacted much since the day they went hunting together.

"Sure! I'm already done, I'll go right now." Amberpaw meowed, rising to her paws. "I'll be back before you know it." She smiled confidently and padded away from the two warriors, fully intent on accomplishing the task assigned to her. Not only would it help the clan, but it would make Raggedear happy as well... He never looked very happy. Amberpaw smiled to herself, she would just have to catch him a nice big, juicy rabbit! Then he would be happy again, just like the other day.

Moonfur watched her daughter leave with an approving gaze, she was glad that Amberpaw and Raggedear seemed to be doing okay. She thought Raggedear would be more standoffish with having to train an apprentice, but he seemed lighter somehow.

"She really looks up to you, you know." Moonfur meowed to Raggedear. The mottled warrior's ear twitched and he sat to grab a mouse of his own, making a small sound of acknowledgement.

"Her training is going very well, she's a fast learner." Raggedear responded quietly, taking a bite of his breakfast."Where is everyone?"

"Well, Greysight and Warpaw are hunting. Thistleprick and Darkpelt are guarding the border, and I think Browneyes took Branchpaw and Goldenpaw on a normal patrol near OceanClan."

Raggedear nodded absentmindedly, "Yeah... We should go hunting later too, for the nightly round."

"That sounds good to me." Moonfur meowed. "...Raggedear, I know this is kind of a personal question, but can you tell me more about twolegplace?"

Raggedear seemed to recede back into himself, and was silent for a moment. "Not much to say. Smelly, gray, noisy." he meowed impassively. "...What about the mountains?"

Moonfur didn't mind that Raggedear changed the subject; from what she heard from Thistleprick, she wasn't surprised that Raggedear didn't like to talk about it.

"Cold and rocky; plus you have to make sure to avoid all the eagles- these huge birds; they preyed on cats."

Raggedear's eyes widened slightly, "Birds hunting cats? Something just doesn't seem right about that." The tom couldn't imagine having to hide from birds, it sounded ridiculous.

"You're telling me." Moonfur replied. "But it was nice...the tribe cats were very kind to me."

"Then, why did you leave? How did you wind up here of all places?" Raggedear asked, eyeing her curiously. He felt a bit guilty for prying, but he wanted to know.

"I wasn't born in the mountains, so when I grew old enough, I wanted to find my parents. All I remembered was that I used to live in a field-like area with a stream and neighboring forest. That's why when I came across DarkClan territory, I thought it might be my old home."

Raggedear nodded, familiar with the setup of DarkClan territory. He wondered if it ever bothered her, staying here while her family could still be out there. "So why stay here? You could still find them you know." Raggedear meowed hopefully.

Moonfur's eyes dulled slightly and she shook her head, "My mother died when I was young...and I just recently found out that my father is no longer alive." Moonfur attempted to put a smile on her face and looked back up at Raggedear, "But its okay, I have my kits now, and all of you. I'm happy, I really am."

Raggedear didn't look convinced, and instead looked more concerned for the she-cat."...What about your mate, I bet he really misses you." Raggedear meowed softly, feeling a bit awkward for bringing it up.

"He died."

"...Oh. I'm..sorry." Raggedear muttered, there was a genuine sort of sadness to his expression as he met Moonfur's eyes, but the pale she-cat kept her smile in place.

"Don't be, we all lose cats we care about, the important thing is making sure we live how they would have wanted us to." she replied. Yellow eyes met the gaze of cool silver and charcoal ash in a brief moment of understanding.

Raggedear nodded mutedly after a second and rose to his paws, "I should probably get to that patrol now..."

"Okay. Be careful." Moonfur meowed, causing Raggedear to pause briefly and turn back to her, giving her a small nod before continuing on his way and disappearing into the tree tunnel. Moonfur watched the mysterious tom go with a mixture of both concern and apprehension.

He was so distant, from everyone. She wondered how he had become like this, there was always a reason cats acted the way they did; there was always a reason, and she could see it just by looking at her clanmates and learning more about them. She could see it in Darkpelt, in Lostheart, in Greysight and Sunstar...there had to be a reason.

She knew he lived a difficult life, one that she couldn't begin to imagine; having never entered inner twolegplace herself, let alone the outskirts. Thistleprick had said his personality was split...but she had never seen any sign of such a thing. Raggedear was Raggedear, and she had never seen the tom any differently.

But still. Why would Thistleprick lie? He wouldn't. What the spotted tom said had to be true, and from the way he had said it...Moonfur knew it was no lie. She just couldn't believe such a calm, gentle tom could harbor so much hatred inside him.

_'Be careful Raggedear...'_

* * *

"When will you return?" Sunstar meowed gruffly, facing the three medicine cats standing before him. Roseclaw met his green eyes evenly, no trace of emotion left in her own crystalline gaze.

"By sunhigh definitely. Our meetings don't last long, but Wetpaw must go through the ritual." she answered. The apprentice in question looked up at the fluffy white she-cat with worried eyes; the thought of leaving DarkClan territory scared him, especially with what all the other cats were saying.

Sunstar looked down at Wetpaw, expression unchanged. "Very well, leave early if you must though, I don't like having so many cats out of the territory at once." His eyes drifted toward Greysight who stood near the tree tunnel, waiting to accompany the medicine cats at her own request.

"We will. Thank you, Sunstar." Roseclaw meowed, dipping her head respectively while Mintpaw and Wetpaw did the same. The three cats then backed away from the golden tom and joined Greysight where she stood at the head of camp.

"Let's go." Roseclaw meowed, stepping past the blind she-cat with an unusually serious expression. They needed StarClan, and if StarClan wouldn't come to her, she would do everything in her power to get them to reach her apprentices.

Greysight frowned slightly, but followed after the three cats and took up the rear of the group. Once they entered LightClan territory, she would have to be on the watch for any approaching paws; LightClan cats weren't the only ones moving about the area now.

Mintpaw seemed the least on edge of the group as the four cats warily crossed through Fourtrees and onto LightClan territory, but Morningstar and Lightseed wouldn't be able to protect them anymore. Roseclaw quickened her pace as their group moved through the swaying flowers and grasses around them, eyes glancing upward at the darkening sky.

A storm was coming; they could all sense it. Greysight could smell the scent of fear surrounding Wetpaw, and feel unease in his wary pawsteps.

"You'll like the Moonstool," Mintpaw meowed, turning back to look at the younger apprentice, "Its beautiful."

"Come on," Roseclaw cut in, "We need to hurry up, Sunstar doesn't want us to take long."

Wetpaw nodded hurriedly and quickened his pace as the four cats neared the wall of the cliffs where the Moonstool lay hidden. "The cave is just up here." Roseclaw meowed, helping Wetpaw up the rocky path. The white she-cat glanced briefly over her shoulder, but could see no sign of any approaching cats.

Greysight, in turn, helped Mintpaw over a large boulder before turning to Roseclaw. "Calm down." she whispered lowly so the apprentices wouldn't hear. "There's no one there, you're scaring the apprentices."

Roseclaw let out a breath and nodded, she knew Greysight would know if there was, but she couldn't help feeling on edge. The mouth of the tunnel came into view, and the four cats quickly made their way inside, following the passage until it opened up to the grove hidden within.

Wetpaw blinked in wonder at array of life hidden by the surrounding stone, and in particular, what looked to be a small lake with a large tree stump sitting in the center. This was the Moonstool.

"Roseclaw! Its good to see you friend."

Wetpaw blinked as he realized there were other cats sitting on the flat stone of the water's edge. Roseclaw dipped her head in greeting, recognizing Tidepool, OceanClan's medicine cat. Hazeltail and Owlpaw were there as well, along with LightClan's medicine cat Petalwing. Roseclaw had her doubts about whether the LightClan cat would show up or not, but it appeared she had after all.

A sort of awkwardness settled over the group, but despite it, no cat spoke of their clans' current positions. Instead, they took notice of the young tom by her side while Greysight backed away from the group and settled in a small patch of nearby grass.

"Who's this?" Petalwing questioned softly. Hazeltail's ear twitched at her words, and the chestnut she cat followed her gaze.

"Wetpaw, my new apprentice." Roseclaw could see the questioning looks of the other clan medicine cats, but was thankful when none chose to question her or DarkClan's motives.

"Then we shall present him to StarClan." Tidepool meowed, stepping past the other three cats without so much as a sideways glance. Roseclaw nodded her agreement, and gently nudged Wetpaw toward the water's edge.

Wetpaw moved forward hesitantly, sparing Roseclaw another glance to which the she-cat nodded her head supportively. Once he was seated, Roseclaw herself stepped forward, her white fur glowing in the moonlight."Wetpaw, is it your wish to enter the mysteries of StarClan as a medicine cat?"

Owlpaw watched the other tom quietly, his eyes fixed on Wetpaw in a serious manner, perhaps sizing up the new apprentice. Hazeltail looked down at the young tabby with a stern gaze, one meant to ensure he didn't act out of line.

"I-It is." Wetpaw stuttered, looking into the eyes of his own reflection upon the water's surface.

"Warriors of StarClan," Roseclaw continued, gazing up at the half moon above, "I present you with this apprentice. He has chosen the path a medicine cat must walk, please grant him your wisdom so that he may understand your ways, and that he will heal his Clan according to your will."

Wetpaw moved as he had been previously instructed and lay beside the water and the other medicine cats padded forward to join him as well as Roseclaw. Roseclaw desperately hoped that StarClan would accept the apprentice that she held the ceremony for, she who had never been accepted at all.

* * *

"Greysight..."

Slowly, the blind she-cat begin to stir, blinking awake her eyes before quickly squinting at the appearance of a bright light. Her head felt heavy as she pulled herself up, taking in the sudden appearance of star...Wait. Stars?

Greysight's eyes widened and she immediately straightened herself, turning to stare in wonder at the starry gray she-cat in front of her.

"Mosspelt!" Greysight exclaimed. The old medicine cat hadn't visited her in her dreams in forever. However, instead of greeting the she-cat, Greysight's eyes narrowed angrily. "Why haven't you contacted me? So much has happened! Is StarClan just going to sit behind and watch as Willowstar destroys DarkClan- because hes getting awfully close! Light and Tree have merged, do you even-"

"I'm sorry." Mosspelt meowed, stopping Greysight mid-sentence. "I tried, but I was unable to reach any cat in DarkClan territory. I couldn't."

"Why not?" Greysight questioned, "You visited me plenty of times before."

"Yes, it is true that you were the only cat I could reach for a while. But now I can no longer reach any cat in that place, its almost as if there is a barrier shutting me out." she answered, somberly. "The presence of darkness there is too great, and even now I can sense it on you."

Greysight didn't know what Mosspelt was talking about; their territory wasn't the issue, Willowstar was the issue! Suddenly, a new thought struck Greysight's mind, distracting her from any other. "Longtail," she meowed quickly, "Is Longtail-"

Mosspelt's tail rose briefly to silence Greysight, her blue eyes filled with a sort of soft understanding. "Longtail is at peace."

"...And what of Windstream? Neoseeker? Cherrynose?"

Mosspelt's eyes closed slowly with a soft smile on her face. Crystalline eyes met that of dull gray, and Mosspelt's voice became serious.

"Brought upon by the lust for power, a deeply embedded grudge will lay waste to the clan. Until the blood of the cursed has been repaid, DarkClan will be forever left to waste away into nothingness. Until the harbinger of darkness is put to rest, DarkClan will forever suffer in a never-ending cycle of misfortune."

Greysight looked at the she-cat quizzically, "_What _are you talking about?!"

"That is the prophecy I was given. I feel like you should know." Mosspelt answered, blue eyes flashing.

"Why me?" Greysight asked anxiously.

"There must be a reason you were the only cat I could reach, isn't there?" Mosspelt's form began to fade away, along with the forest surrounding her. Greysight was now left alone, standing in darkness. "Mosspelt?" she meowed.

No answer came. Greysight stood frozen in place, thinking about what the medicine cat had said. _'Until Willowstar is gone...we'll never be able to live in peace.'_ A part of her had already known that, but why had StarClan waited so long to deliver the message?

* * *

A frown remained on Greysight's face even as they padded into camp; the meeting had indeed been a short one, and the moon still remained high in the sky. However, she was surprised by all the activity in camp when they arrived.

"What's going on?" Greysight meowed as they entered and she felt all the movement of cats searching around the camp. Moonfur was quick to pad up to the group.

"It's Amberpaw," she meowed worriedly, "Did you happen to see her on your way back?"

Greysight and Roseclaw both blinked in confusion. "No..." Greysight replied. "Why? What's wrong?"

"Raggedear went out looking for her after she took a long time hunting, but he couldn't find her anywhere; and she still hasn't returned to camp!" Moonfur exclaimed as the cats began to gather around them.

"She's not in camp." Browneyes meowed. "We searched everywhere." Warpaw was quick to run over to the group, running up to a concerned looking Raggedear.

"I saw her earlier when I was out hunting, she said she was going to catch rabbits."

Raggedear's yellow gaze snapped down to the apprentice. Rabbits? That didn't mean...

"No." Raggedear meowed out loud, confirming the fear that was in every cat's mind. "TreeClan...Who was on guard?" He asked hurriedly, looking amongst the cats.

"Thistleprick and I were, but I saw no sign of any apprentice down near the trench." Darkpelt replied gruffly. "I would have noticed."

The cats blinked as all eyes suddenly fell on Thistleprick who was now sitting towards the back of the group with a troubled expression.

"Thistleprick..." Greysight growled.

"I didn't know I was supposed to be on guard duty!" Thistleprick defended. "No one told me anything!"

Moonfur gasped causing Greysight's eyes widened in shock; and Darkpelt stepped forward letting out a low growl. Raggedear closed his eyes, it couldn't- Amberpaw couldn't be... This was all his fault, he had been the one to send Amberpaw out alone in the first place.

Sunstar stepped out from the shadows, green eyes dark with anger. "There's a chance Amberpaw may still be alive, Willowstar wouldn't kill a good set of paws. This must be his way of getting back at us for killing the kit." Sunstar growled. "We lost him a warrior, so now hes going to take one of our cats to fill in its place."

"He can't do that!" Moonfur meowed, "That's my daughter! Sunstar, we have to do something."

The DarkClan cats watched anxiously as Sunstar was silent for a moment before he looked up at the cats before him with a thoughtful expression. "We will." he meowed, eyes falling on Greysight."We will sneak into TreeClan territory and get Amberpaw back."

"But how?" Darkpelt questioned. "That territory must be filled with cats now, and we don't even know the location of their camp."

"Yes, we do."


	47. Chapter 47: A Familiar Task

The cats didn't look too convinced at Sunstar's plan, but they decided to hear their leader out all the same. "We'll form a raid group." Sunstar meowed, eyes traveling amongst the cats. "Then we'll sneak into TreeClan territory. Greysight can lead us to their camp."

Darkpelt nodded thoughtfully, always one for agreeing with Sunstar, but even he looked somewhat doubtful. "There may be a lot of cats now because of the merge of Light and Tree, but I don't think it will be that easy. I don't know if any of you have noticed, but we stick out. Not to mention our scent...Besides, how will Greysight lead us to their camp?"

"Surely you've realized by now just how special a cat Greysight is, Darkpelt. Did you honestly believe a normal blind cat could become a warrior?" Sunstar snorted while a few of the cats turned to look at the blind she-cat in question. Greysight remained silent, her mouth in an unreadable line; Darkpelt blinked at Sunstar's words, but he said nothing to retaliate against the golden tom.

"A scent can easily be hidden, and we'll be hiding ours anyway just for crossing into their territory. Once we find the camp, our main task will be locating Amberpaw, which Greysight should be able to handle as well." Sunstar continued.

Greysight could feel Sunstar turn towards her, and although she could not see it, she had no doubt their gazes would be locked. It was a hidden sort of message between the two of them. When she was young, Sunstar had ordered her to observe TreeClan's camp; Sunstar clearly believed she could lead them to it- she probably could. But still-

The idea made Greysight's paws twitch uncomfortably as she remembered her last experience; she had barely made it out without getting caught, and now she would have to keep track of the others too. His comment about her blindness made her angry, it wasn't just because of her ability! She had trained harder than any of the other cats. Yes, this would be difficult, but she had no doubt she could do it.

"I will." Greysight confirmed. Browneyes, Thistleprick, and Darkpelt still looked somewhat wary about the idea, but none of the toms said anything. "Who's going?" Greysight questioned, causing everyone to turn toward Sunstar with varying expressions.

"The medicine cats and apprentices will stay here, and the rest of you will come with me." Sunstar ordered. Moonfur, Raggedear, and Greysight nodded their heads with determination; they would make sure to get Amberpaw back at all costs.

"I see we're all in agreement." Sunstar meowed gruffly, eyes scanning over the group for anyone who might challenge him; his eyes paused briefly at Lostheart, but he said nothing.

"Follow me."

The sun had already begun to set, allowing the cats the opportunity to sneak into TreeClan territory under the cover of darkness. Lostheart hung near the back of the group beside Thistleprick as they moved swiftly through DarkClan territory and toward the fields. She glanced at the tom from the corner of her eye and could see the worried expression in his eyes. Was he feeling guilty?

She supposed in a way it was his fault, if he had been on watch, the TreeClan cats might not have grabbed Amberpaw; but then again, they might have done it anyway. Lostheart wouldn't blame Thistleprick entirely, but she still found it hard to believe he had forgotten about his guard duty. If he did, the tom was even more incompetent than he looked.

Their group came to the edge of the forest's line, peering out into the swaying grass beyond. At Sunstar's signal, they crept forward, keeping their bodies low to the ground and hidden in the grass.

Was this really a good idea? It was certainly a dangerous one, and now all of their warriors were out of camp. Plus there was no telling how it would work out, or how many cats Willowstar left to protect TreeClan territory. Even with Greysight's abilities, if they were caught, that would be the end for them; they were too greatly outnumbered, and who knew what Willowstar might do to them?

As they came to the river, the DarkClan cats slipped silently into the calm, flowing water and made their way to the other side. The water would wash away their scents, even if for only a short period of time. Immediately upon touching their paws to the ground once more, they crouched back into the grass, tension hanging over the group like a thick cloud.

Sunstar nodded and signaled with his tail for the group to follow him as they moved through the grasses and toward the large, green trees of TreeClan territory, Sunstar sparing a glance at Greysight as he went. Greysight nodded back, knowing it was now up to her to make sure they avoided any wandering paws, and to locate TreeClan's camp.

So far, it all looked pretty clear.

Lostheart blinked as they entered the forest, taking in the sights of TreeClan's territory. She had never been here before, and as far as she knew, none of them had. The other cats seemed to share in her thoughts as she caught them looking around as well.

TreeClan's territory was admittedly quite beautiful. The trees stood proud and strong with vibrant green leaves, and the ground was covered with lush, green grass. The only problem was that it was so open, besides the trees, there was almost no place to hide.

Sunstar stopped behind a large oak and turned to face the group, his expression hard and tense. Greysight knew he was waiting on her call, she stopped to close her eyes, reaching out into the earth as far as she possibly could while her clanmates stared at her dubiously.

Lostheart's eyes narrowed as Greysight's face suddenly became knit in confusion. "What is it?" Darkpelt growled softly. Greysight opened her eyes, her body suddenly becoming more tense.

"I can sense where the camp is, but...it looks like there's two. They aren't too far from each other, but for all we know, Amberpaw could be in either one." Greysight chose not to mention the cats she could feel wandering around the territory, they were moving away from them anyway. There was a larger group near the back of the territory, where the trees ended by the cliffs, but it was likely a patrol

"Two camps?" Browneyes whispered. "I guess that makes sense, but what are we going to do? If we split up, Greysight won't be able to tell us if any cats are coming." All eyes once again turned to Sunstar who looked to be deep in thought.

"No." he meowed, shaking his head slightly. "We can't separate, that much is obvious."

"But which camp are they holding Amberpaw in?" Moonfur meowed anxiously with Raggedear at her side; the tom had been oddly quiet.

"We have to decide, one camp is larger than the other. So either the big camp or the small one." The small one would probably be easier for their group to go by unnoticed, but it was very possible that Amberpaw could be in the larger one.

Greysight's claws kneaded the soft grass under her paws anxiously. "Either way, we have to decide soon, its not good to stay in one spot for so long." she meowed, feeling the cats moving around not far from them.

"We'll try the main camp first." Sunstar replied. "Quickly, Greysight. Lead the way." Greysight nodded and set off in the direction of the camp, her clanmates following closely from behind.

* * *

Their group had to stop and change their course a few times due to approaching group cats, but they managed to circle around them and continue on toward the large mass of cats nearby . They were outside the camp wall now, hidden at its side, lying crouched beside the wall of brush. It was the exact same spot Greysight had hidden when she was an apprentice, only she had climbed into one of the nearby trees.

"Well?" Sunstar growled. "Is Amberpaw in there?"

Greysight crouched by the makeshift wall and shut her eyes, stretching out her senses to search for Amberpaw's presence among the unfamiliar voices and scents. Sunstar and the others watched as Greysight's eyes opened with a confused expression, but they said nothing as she padded closer to the wall.

There was no doubt about it ...but why? How?

_'What is Brisingstar doing in TreeClan territory?'_

"Its...Brisingstar?" Greysight whispered.

"Brisingstar?!" Sunstar hissed. "What is Brisingstar doing in TreeClan's camp?!" Greysight quieted him with a flick of her tail and listened closely. It sounded like he was arguing about something, but his scent was unmistakable.

Brisingstar stood in the center of the camp with several cats gathered around him, Willowstar at their head, facing the OceanClan leader. There were so many other noises, she couldn't pick out the exact words being exchanged between the leaders, but something was definitely wrong. Brisingstar stood in a defensive position and was speaking rapidly to Willowstar.

Greysight nearly gasped as the cats on either one of Brisingstar's sides struck him down and Willowstar stepped forward, mumbling something to the tom. Brisingstar rose shakily to his paws before the two continued on, Brisingstar being escorted by the two other TreeClan cats deeper into the camp while Willowstar followed from behind.

"What's going on?!" Darkpelt hissed, causing Browneyes to give him a serious look. "Shh! You have to be quiet Darkpelt, or they'll find us!"

Greysight stepped back from the wall, shaking her head. "I don't sense Amberpaw's presence anywhere inside this camp..." Sunstar shook his head, "That doesn't matter now, what was Brisingstar doing here?!" he growled.

_'Doesn't matter?' _Raggedear thought angrily, eyes narrowing at the golden tom. He glanced at Moonfur from the corner of his eye, and she could see the anger hidden beneath her gaze as she remained crouched beside Lostheart; the black she-cat's expression unreadable as always.

Amberpaw was the reason they came out here, Brisingstar and OceanClan could be dealt with later. They needed to find Amberpaw before she got hurt...or worse. They better not have hurt her...

Greysight's own sightless eyes narrowed as she turned to face Sunstar. "I don't know, I couldn't make out what they were saying. But it doesn't matter right now, right now we need to find Amberpaw and get out of here. Its too dangerous."

"Yeah," Thistleprick meowed from beside Raggedear, "What she said." Darkpelt watched the calico tom with an unreadable expression, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly. Browneyes nodded mutedly at Sunstar, "She's right, we need to find Amberpaw as quick as we can. Cats might have already picked up on our scent."

Moonfur let out a breath of inward relief as Sunstar wheeled around and ordered Greysight to lead the way to TreeClan's second camp. Amberpaw would be okay, they would save her, they had to. Besides Sunstar, everyone seemed really concerned...for some reason, it made her happy. She never thought that she would meet cats like these, cats who cared enough for her and her family that they would go into harm's way for them. It was still hard for her to get used to, and for a long time, she believed she had always been better off alone.

* * *

Raggedear followed behind Sunstar and Greysight with a serious expression, ears perked for even the slightest sound, and eyes constantly glancing around their perimeter. Being in this place set him on edge, it wasn't a place that made you feel safe or gave you a sense of comfort. It wasn't like DarkClan territory was the most comforting place in the world either, but over here it reminded him of twolegplace.

You never knew what could happen, or where enemies were hiding. Even with an enforced territory and an understanding of the area, something new always seemed to appear. And 99% of the time it wasn't for the better.

"Is Amberpaw in there?" Moonfur meowed anxiously as she and the other cats hid behind a large bush near the brush wall of the second camp, waiting for Greysight to tell them what she knew. Greysight let out a small growl of annoyance and kneaded the ground with her claws. "I can't tell, there's too much going on."

Sunstar's eyes narrowed slightly, "This camp is smaller, and they don't know we're here. We can take them by surprise, get in, get Amberpaw, and get out as fast as possible." he whispered quickly. "There aren't a lot of cats in this camp, we can take it easily."

"What? That's crazy, if we go in there, the entire clan will be onto us!" Thistleprick meowed, violet eyes wide in astonishment.

"If we're fast and we don't let any of them escape to warn the other camp, we can." Darkpelt muttered thoughtfully.

"Not for long." Moonfur replied. "The noise will end up attracting cats anyway-"

"Which is why we'll do it fast, Greysight will find Amberpaw, and then we'll go." Sunstar finished, giving the cats a hard look. Browneyes opened his mouth as if he was going to say something as well, but he was silenced as Darkpelt shouldered past him and Raggedear stepped forward. "Sunstar is right." Raggedear meowed, causing many of the cats to turn towards him in surprise; ot wasn't often that the reserved tom spoke up,.

"It's the only way to save Amberpaw. We have to."

A small silence hung over the cats as each of them contemplated Raggedear's words. The sound of cats talking and moving inside the walls could be heard clearly through the brush; and Sunstar's eyes hardened and he moved closer to the wall, wearing the most serious expression Lostheart had ever seen on him.

"On my signal, we'll enter through here. Don't let any cats escape while Greysight finds Amberpaw, and when you hear my call, run as fast as you can and get to the stream."

Slowly, the cats padded to join him as they faced the wall of brush; they couldn't afford to lose now. The camp was small, just as Greysight had said it would be, they could do this. Thistleprick and Browneyes seemed to be the wariest of the bunch, but they joined their clanmates all the same.

Raggedear stood at the front of the group beside Sunstar, Darkpelt, and Moonfur with a determined expression on his face; he would save Amberpaw, not matter what.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**Some of you may have noticed that I recently deleted 'Never Meant to Belong', but it isn't gone. Moon actually got herself a fanfiction account now so she posted it on hers. Its Moon007 and you should be able to re-find the story just in the Warriors section. This means all updates will continue there and I'll no longer be editing any of her chapters.**

**I also put a new poll, not a very original one, but it was a request. :P Also that video and normal updates are going to take a little while, video more than updates) becaused I have a lot of schoolwork and a lot on my mind right now with everything I have to do.**

**Lost**


	48. Chapter 48: Inside TreeClan

Not a sound seemed to be heard as the air went quiet, and the voices and pawsteps of the cats beyond the wall faded away. It was just DarkClan, and the brush. Somewhere in the leafy canopy above, a single bird's song sounded in the air; an odd occurrence, considering how rare it was to hear such a lovely sound in their own territory where only the caws crows echoed through the trees.

Lostheart could hear her heart pounding in her ears as she and the other warriors moved into position, readying themselves to spring. Sunstar and Darkpelt were at the head of the group, prepared to crash their way through the barrier while Moonfur moved up near Raggedear and Thistleprick.

Raggedear and Moonfur's eyes met briefly from the side, revealing the she-cat's desperate expression. It was a silent sort of communication between the two, and Raggedear could see clearly what she was trying to say.

_'Please save my daughter.'_

"Attack!"

Lostheart was suddenly jolted out of her peaceful silence by Sunstar's ferocious screech and watched as he and Darkpelt smashed through the wall, creating big enough openings for the rest of the cats to follow through.

Almost immediately loud screeches and yowls erupted from inside TreeClan's camp; Lostheart leapt through the opening Darkpelt had created, following after Greysight and quickly took in her surroundings while her clanmates dashed off to stop the escaping cats. Greysight moved away from the group and sped off, leaving the fighting to the others for a change. It was up to her to locate Amberpaw as quickly as possible. Greysight smirked as she felt the movement of the startled cats around her; she would get her chance later.

"DarkClan is attacking!"

Lostheart watched as the TreeClan warriors clashed against their own, and the clearing became filled with horrified, screeching cats. Looking around, Lostheart realized that most of the cats in the camp were elders and young cats backing away from the warriors in fear. However, a good amount of the cats were TreeClan warriors, and a few of the elders even leapt into the fray.

Lostheart's gaze suddenly snapped to a dark shape moving toward the brush, realizing a cat was about to escape. With a quick jolt to her nerves, Lostheart ran through the mass of fighting cats; passing Darkpelt as she went while the tom pulled back two TreeClan warriors with each paw.

Despite being outnumbered, they seemed to have the upper hand here, but it wouldn't last long if cats escaped! Lostheart shot forward and leapt onto the figure, causing the small cat to let out a cry of fear as the black she-cat pinned them to the ground, claws resting on the top of their head.

The she-cat writhed beneath Lostheart, and with a snarl, her victim's head snapped back to face DarkClan's deputy. However, the moment the cat looked up into Lostheart's dark eyes, her own gaze widened in horror, as if her life was flashing before her eyes.

Lostheart's eyes narrowed as she looked down at the tabby she-cat before slamming her paws onto the back of the she-cat's head, knocking her out. No one would die here today.

Her clanmates were doing a good job of keeping the warriors occupied, but they knew it wouldn't last long. It was obvious some cats had escaped despite their efforts, it would have been impossible to keep them all inside being outnumbered as they were. They just needed to get Amberpaw; what was taking Greysight so long?

* * *

Greysight panted as she ran between the dens of TreeClan's camp, listening as her clanmates fought off the camp's inhabitants. Frustration itched at her pelt; where was Amberpaw?! She thought she would have picked up on the apprentice by now, but she had looked almost everywhere and there was still no trace of the young she-cat.

Greysight let out a hiss of frustration as she backed out into the clearing once more. The DarkClan cats had begun to slow down, Greysight noticed, both in their speed and in the strength of their paws. Greysight's eyes widened as she felt Moonfur get tackled by two TreeClan warriors.

Acting as quickly as she could, Greysight raced across the clearing, dodging the outstretched claws of several TreeClan warriors. In one quick move, she dug her claws into one Moonfur's attackers while the pale she-cat fought off the other.

The tom hissed wildly as Greysight latched onto his back, and threw himself at the ground in an attempt to dislodge her. Greysight, guessing his intentions, moved just in times so that the TreeClan warrior crashed his side onto the ground. Now that she had the upper hand, Greysight slashed out against the spotted tom's chest and glanced quickly around the clearing.

* * *

Raggedear hissed as he fought viciously against a TreeClan warrior he had caught in a tackle. The tortoiseshell tom was already bleeding from several different scratch and bite marks littered amongst his body, but he ignored their stinging pain.

Raggedear winced as the tom bit down on his shoulder before being promptly torn away by Raggedear's claws. Raggedear panted as the tom backed away, and blood from a scratch above his eye. The hot, sticky liquid blurred his vision, and he blinked it away as much as he could.

The two warriors stood at a standstill for a second, and as their eyes locked gazes, the tom's paw twitched ever so slightly. Raggedear shot forward, knowing that he was about to try and escape. As he leapt, another cat suddenly slammed into his side, knocking him out of the air and back onto the ground. Raggedear let out a hiss as he felt the paws of his attacker on his back, and promptly flipped around in an attempt to make the she-cat lose her balance.

The she-cat let out a snarl, but kept her grip nonetheless. Yellow eyes met those of an amused green as the she-cat snorted down at Raggedear's haggard form. Raggedear recognized the tabby she-cat as Leaftail, a TreeClan warrior Moonfur had once pointed out who had supposedly been a member of DarkClan in the past.

"Well, if it isn't one of DarkClan's filthy little pick-ups." Leaftail sneered, letting out a laugh. "I can only wonder why you would be stupid enough to even try attacking TreeClan from the inside."

Raggedear let out a snarl and raked his claws across Leaftail's face while she let her guard down and kicked the she-cat off of him with his hind legs, switching their positions. Leaftail struggled wildly under his claws, making Raggedear growl in frustration. He dug his claws deeper into the she-cat's fur and watched as she howled in pain beneath him, her eyes widening.

"_Where_ is _she_?!" Raggedear hissed, lifting her up slightly through the use of his claws embedded in her skin and slammed her back down. Raggedear's eyes narrowed slightly, and the blood dripping from his face once again began to blur his vision as he breathed deeply, exhausted from the fighting. It was a miracle the tom was still standing on his paws, let alone continuing to fight.

Leaftail's face was contorted in pain, but the she-cat managed a self-satisfied smirk. "She's not here." she spat.

Raggedear's eyes widened slightly as Leaftail's words struck him, and he winced slightly at the pain in his head. He could feel the other side of him clawing against the back of his mind, desperate to take over. But he couldn't, Raggedear wouldn't let that happen, not again.

One of Raggedear's paws came to Leaftail's throat as he pressed his claws dangerously close, looking down at the she-cat with one of the darkest, most serious expressions she had ever seen in her life. He really would kill her she realized.

"I said." Raggedear growled, extending his claws slightly. "_Where _is _she_?!"

Leaftail's eyes widened in shock as she was suddenly jabbed roughly in the stomach and thrown backwards. The release of Raggedear's claws was a relief, but it was a relief soon forgotten as she came in contact with the ground in a hard landing.

Leaftail's legs trembled beneath her as she made an attempt to stand up and escape into the forest, but she had little more than a second as she stood and saw Raggedear charging towards her. Her eyes widened in shock as the tom leapt into the air and, quicker than anything she had ever seen before, spun rapidly forward, slamming into her. The impact of being slammed into the ground, caused Leaftail to cough up a small stream of blood; and the long scratches from his attack opened up, beginning to bleed profusely.

Leaftail's head was pounding as Raggedear stood above her, his shadow blocking out the sun above in an eerie sort of light. Leaftail's paw twitched at her side, but her foreleg had taken the brunt of the blow; she could hardly move it now.

She felt her blood run cold as Raggedear stepped closer, yellow eyes dark as he looked down at her with an emotionless, cold gaze that sent chills down her spine. She gasped slightly as he lifted a paw and shrunk back, shaking her head.

"With Pineneedle! She's with Pineneedle! They're in the back of the forest, near the wall, please, don't kill me!" Leaftail begged, her voice hoarse from the pain she had endured. She had betrayed her brothers and clan out of cowardice.

_'The back of the forest?' _thought Raggedear. Around him, his clanmates continued to fight; there wasn't enough time! With a final glare, Raggedear backed away from Leaftail's injured form and looked hurriedly around the expanse of fighting cats. Everyone was too busy fighting off the TreeClan cats.

_'No. Its my fault Amberpaw got taken...I will get her back ...I promised.'_

With great effort, Raggedear limped toward the brush wall as quickly as he could. It was lucky for him that the TreeClan warriors were too concerned with the others to notice him. Every step sent a shot of pain up his legs, and blood seemed to be dripping from almost every section of his body. Despite this, Raggedear continued on, he wouldn't let anything happen to Amberpaw.

* * *

Lostheart's mismatched eyes danced around her at the group of TreeClan cats encircling her, their eyes glinting with hatred and disgust. Yet she could see, in the depths of their eyes, the small traces of underlying fear; fear of what she might do.

Lostheart remained silent, standing as still and emotionlessly as ever, waiting for one of the cats to make a move. One of her hindlegs was injured pretty badly, but besides that and a few scrapes, she could still fight. The pain would just have to be ignored, she couldn't let it slow her down.

Lostheart's ear twitched as a ferocious yowl suddenly sounded from what looked to be the front of the camp. Seven TreeClan warriors suddenly rushed into the camp, each making their way to one of DarkClan's attacking warriors. As their call sounded through the air, one of the warriors already circling Lostheart suddenly leapt at her from the side. The black she-cat was quick to dodge, having never lost her focus on the cats surrounding her; as the cat was slipping by her, she rammed forward, causing the she-cat to collide with one of the toms that had leapt as well.

While those two were down, she quickly snapped around to block an attack from another she-cat whose white pelt was dappled under the shadow of the trees. Lostheart knew she couldn't afford to be pinned down, not in a multi-cat battle.

Using her speed, Lostheart rushed around the she-cat in a dark blur after causing the she-cat to stumble back from her previous block. Lostheart winced slightly as she felt claws rake across her back from behind, but she ignored them as she tore at the white she-cat in front of her. She could feel herself being pulled away, and turned to face her new attackers; a couple of the newer warriors that had arrived.

Narrowing her eyes in a threatening gesture, Lostheart leapt back from the large group so she could keep an eye on all of them. There were five cats. The wounds on her back were beginning to bleed, and on in particular on her shoulder throbbed painfully, but Lostheart shook it off.

They leapt at once, their images flashing in Lostheart's eyes. She was quick to avoid getting tackled, making sure to land a blow on each of the cats whose path she danced out of the way of. Her breathing became heavy as she got no time to rest fighting and avoiding the five cats, it was almost like a game of chase. They would attack, they would miss while she landed a hit, then they would turn around and attack again. But it was all she could do.

Lostheart's eyes flashed as two cats came at her from either side, and as they attacked she leapt over one and onto the white she-cat from before whose pelt was now stained red with blood. The she-cat let out a shriek as Lostheart attacked her and bit hard onto her foreleg, twisting it with a small snap before being pulled off by a larger TreeClan tom. Lostheart ignored the vile taste of blood now in her mouth and watched as the white she-cat began to limp away, presumably to a safe location after being injured so badly.

Lostheart dodged a swipe as it came, and ducked from another; but as a second warrior appeared from her side, there was no place to go to dodge their incoming blow. Shutting her eyes out of reflex at the last second, Lostheart didn't even have time to wince as a large paw slammed into the side of her skull, suddenly making her dizzy.

The world was blurry for a few moments around her as she stumbled to back away, feeling teeth dig into her foreleg in the process. She clawed at the blurry figure of her attacker and was able to make them release their grip, but as she did so, a large calico she-cat leapt onto her back.

Lostheart's long, thin legs nearly gave out under the sudden impact of the weight, but she was able to keep her balance and spun in an effort to dislodge her in one quick, fluid motion. She felt the she-cat slip and felt a sort of relief, but suddenly gasped in pain as she felt teeth dig into the already open wound on her shoulder.

Without so much as a hiss or yowl of rage, Lostheart suddenly flipped in the air, pushing the she-cat's body as she went and slammed her against the ground, dislodging her from her body. Lostheart staggered forward, panting heavily as blood seeped from her wounds. In front of her, four cats crept forward, each in their own battle positions as they approached DarkClan's deputy. Breathing heavily through her nose, Lostheart moved into her own battle position on shaky legs, red eye glinting in the sunlight of TreeClan's territory.

It really was nothing like DarkClan, where she practically blended into the environment; here, she stuck out openly amongst the bright colors of life. The she-cat she had thrown to the ground rolled onto her paws and backed away as her clanmates took over, her eyes lingering on for Lostheart for a second. Briefly she glanced at his clanmates, and she quickly stumbled away.

This was bad. More cats had arrived, healthy, uninjured cats. It was a small group, so it didn't seem like any of the TreeClan cats from the main camp had arrived yet. It looked like these were the returning and passing patrol groups.

"You murder our kits, and then you come into our camp to murder our families!" the leading gray tabby growled, instantly recognizing DarkClan's infamous deputy. "You're a monster!"

Lostheart remained unmoving, not even the slightest trace of feeling in her gaze. Her legs beneath her felt weak, and her body tired from the fighting. This was the longest fight any of them had ever experienced, why wasn't Sunstar calling it off? They were out of time.

"I know you." he continued, I've heard about the things you've done. Even as a kit, your cruelty had been evident. We've heard everything, and we know what went on inside DarkClan's camp." His green-blue eyes locked onto Lostheart's with a gaze full of both disgust and vehemence. "Murderer." he hissed.


	49. Chapter 49: Armed with Death

Raggedear stumbled as he moved through the forest, pausing briefly to regain his balance against one of the many large trees. His chest heaving, the tortoiseshell continued forward, paws shaky with every step. He barely knew where he was going, acting on the knowledge he received from Greysight while they maneuvered through the territory previously; he could only continue toward the path he believed would lead to the cliff. There was no point to being stealthy now; any cat would easily be able to detect the sound of his movement and the heavy scent of his blood. Hopefully they would all be too distracted by the attack at the camp to pay him any attention.

Raggedear limped as quickly as possible over the lush grass, his blood staining the bright green red with every step. His left eye was clenched uncomfortably shut from the blood that dripped from his cut, and his legs trembled with each step, clearly fatigued.

_'I have to...keep...my word.'_ Raggedear told himself, raising another leaded paw as he stepped over a large tree root. In his mind, he could see Amberpaw's smiling face, and with that thought, he was able to push himself onward.

_'You're weak, Raggedear.' _The cold voice echoed in the back of his head._ 'You know that I'm stronger, let me take over; stop blocking me out. You know that I can annihilate them.'_

_'No.' _

Raggedear listened as his other self became quiet, but he could feel his rage burning in the back of his mind. _'I don't need you. I can do this myself.'_

_'You foolish weakling!' _The voice snarled, clawing against the back of his mind in an effort to get past the barricades Raggedear had set up. Raggedear, using what little strength he had, blocked out the voice completely. His other side would never help anything or anyone, and he knew that. It was true, he was weak. But that didn't mean he was going to give up.

Raggedear picked up his pace, wincing slightly with each shot of pain that moved through his muscles. He would do this on his own. The scent of TreeClan cats lingered in the air, making a path for him to follow; one which he hoped would lead to Amberpaw.

It didn't take long for Raggedear to see the wall of stone behind the trees that signaled his arrival at the cliffs, and the scent of cats became even stronger. Hiding now was pointless. After a brief moment of standing in silence, Raggedear looked up with hard, yellow eyes; stepping forward through the bushes with a determined expression.

Raggedear stepped into a small clearing and instantly froze; four cats stood around the clearing, all looking at him with amused faces. It was almost as if they were expecting him.

"Raggedear!"

At the sound of the familiar soft voice, Raggedear's eyes shot straight across the clearing to where Amberpaw stood trembling behind a smirking Pineneedle. He could see the fear in her eyes, and hear it in her voice. Inside, Raggedear burned with rage as he beheld Amberpaw's captors. Raggedear's gaze locked with Pineneedle's own poisonous green eyes as the TreeClan warriors each took a step toward him.

Pineneedle and Amberpaw stood the furthest away, shielded by the four spread out warriors. Raggedear's eyes narrowed; it was clear that the second he took another step, they would be on him in a heartbeat. By now, the sunlight had faded from the forest, darkening with the threat of an oncoming storm. Raggedear flexed his claws as the blood dripped from his wounds and onto the ground beneath him.

Looking up with a renewed sense of vigor, Raggedear started forward. His walk remained steady and constant as he limped toward the figure of Amberpaw, who was now watching with wide eyes. The first of the warriors ran towards him; but at the second he came within range, Raggedear snapped and grabbed hold of the other tom's head in his claws, body moving to avoid the warrior's own claws. With as much effort as he could muster, he slammed the cat headfirst into the ground, effectively quieting the warrior. Breathing heavily now, Raggedear stepped past the cat, limping even worse than before, expression unchanged as he continued toward Amberpaw. The second TreeClan warrior let out a hiss of rage as his clanmate was so easily defeated and ran towards the DarkClan rogue.

Again, Raggedear let him come. It wasn't until the tom lashed out that Raggedear leapt to avoid his attack in an awkward motion before moving to slice across his throat. The tom let out a strangled choking sound as his blood spattered the ground and he collapsed.

Raggedear didn't cast the tom's body a second glance as he moved forward, eyes still on target. He stumbled toward Pineneedle, the blood from his wounds now dry on his fur. The final warrior stepped between the path of him and Pineneedle with wide, fearful eyes. The tom was in shock as he took in Raggedear's beaten form and determined gaze.

Slowly, the cat took a step back, looking between Pineneedle and Raggedear before turning tail and running into the forest. Pineneedle's eyes narrowed in disgust, but he said nothing as he watched the other tom run; LightClan cats were so pathetic.

Raggedear stopped as he stood across from Pineneedle, eyes looking back to the trembling apprentice behind him. "Let her go." Raggedear growled.

Pineneedle smirked, eyeing the horribly injured DarkClan warrior. Raggedear's eyes widened as Pineneedle's claws came to the back of Amberpaw's, gripping her lightly. Amberpaw shook under his claws, eyes clenched tightly shut. "Raggedear...Raggedear..."

"Don't touch her!" Raggedear yelled, stepping forward only to stop as Pineneedle pressed his claws closer.

"Ah, ah ,ah." Pineneedle scolded. "If I were you, I would remain where I am. Unless you want poor Amberpaw here to die." At his words, Amberpaw's large, glistening orange eyes opened to meet Raggedear's in a frightened gaze. Raggedear narrowed his eyes threateningly at Pineneedle, but complied nonetheless, taking a step back.

"That's better." Pineneedle meowed. "My life is much more important I can assure you. You won't lay a claw on me. This apprentice is part of TreeClan now, her life belongs to Willowstar! Don't you see?! She has been blessed with one of the greatest honors, one that I can only ever hope will come to me as the time approaches. We must all give our share."

Raggedear watched as Pineneedle became increasingly animated, and his eyes glowed with a sort of hopeful wish. "Soon, even I will become a part of Willowstar and everyone will-" Pineneedle's eyes suddenly widened in shock and he was cut off from his rant as Amberpaw leapt onto his back, biting hard into his shoulder while he was distracted.

Pineneedle let out a hiss of rage and moved to pull her off; Raggedear, seeing his chance, leapt at the skinny, brown tom and dug his own claws into his fur. Amberpaw backed off as Raggedear pinned Pineneedle down, but it was short lived as Pineneedle roughly jammed his hindlegs into Raggedear's belly, causing the wounded tom to double over in pain.

Amberpaw hissed and leapt onto Pineneedle's back once more, biting the nape of his neck. She was successfully able to distract him long enough for Raggedear to pull himself up and slam Pineneedle against a tree as Amberpaw leapt off.

Pineneedle winced in pain and slid down against the trunk, his head spinning from the impact. Vibrant green eyes opened as he gazed up at the mottled warrior standing above him. "See." Pineneedle meowed hoarsely. "You can kill me take my place now; and join with Willowstar yourself."

Amberpaw stood back behind Raggedear as he stared down at the defeated TreeClan deputy. Her eyes widened as Raggedear's claws flashed in the air as he attacked, slicing away the bark of the tree beside Pineneedle's head. The tom's green eyes were wide in shock as he slowly looked at the claw marks now beside him.

"I'm not like you." Raggedear meowed, backing off. "Besides, you're not even worth killing."

Pineneedle remained where he was, expression frozen as Raggedear turned away and limped back toward the forest with Amberpaw by his side. The young she-cat glanced back at Pineneedle to see that the tom hadn't moved and remained sitting against the tree.

* * *

Raggedear had told her to stay quiet, but besides that, the tom had said nothing as he led them through the trees. Amberpaw watched him with a worried expression as he winced with every step, becoming slower each time.

"Raggedear?" she meowed quietly. Slowly, Raggedear stumbled to the side against a tree, his breathing coming out in slow painful breaths. "Raggedear!" Amberpaw rushed to his side and attempted to pull him up, but the tom was too heavy. Still, she tried desperately to help him to his paws. "Please, please try to stand up!" she begged.

Raggedear leaned forward, eyes wincing in pain before slumping back against the tree, shaking his head. "Its no use, I can't move..." Raggedear leaned back against the tree as Amberpaw took a few steps back, looking up at her through tired, half-lidded eyes. "Come here." he meowed.

Slowly, Amberpaw padded beside him, sitting down by her injured mentor. He looked at her from the side; his normally bright, yellow eyes now dull with exhaustion. "Hey." he meowed, offering her one of his tired half smiles. Tears began to form in the corners of Amberpaw's eyes as she looked at Raggedear's mangled body.

"You're strong Amberpaw." he meowed. "You can do this." Raggedear's head turned slowly to the side so he could see her clearly.

"But," Amberpaw trembled. "I'm little..."

"You can do anything." Raggedear meowed confidently in response. Amberpaw began to shake slightly as the small tears slipped down her fur. "You have to leave me." Raggedear meowed quietly.

"Raggedear...no-I..I can't-"

"Its okay." Raggedear breathed, shaking his head slightly through glistening yellow eyes. "I know its hard...When I was younger, I had to leave my home...and I remember how hard it was for me to do that. Think of your mother, and your sister and your brothers. You need to make sure they're safe...I know its hard, but you can do it...You have to take care of them."

Amberpaw looked away from Raggedear, sniffling a bit."I-I can." she meowed, her voice wavering slightly as she tried to convince herself.

"I know you can. Find the rest of the clan...they should be looking for us by now; then, if you can, get to the river and back onto DarkClan territory where its safe."

Amberpaw looked down at the grass beneath them and clenched her eyes shut as the tears rolled down the sides of her face, her body shaking lightly with small sobs.

"...And Amberpaw." Raggedear continued, causing the she-cat to look at him once more. "Remember...to watch your balance." he meowed lightly.

"I will, I'll practice every day." Amberpaw cried, nodding her head in affirmation.

"And also..." Raggedear's words trailed off as his eyelids lowered slightly and his head tilted to the side slightly, letting out a slow breath. Amberpaw watched as he suddenly became silent.

"What?" Amberpaw questioned on shaking paws, "What is it?"

Raggedear's eyes opened a little more as he slowly shook his head, his eyes blinking tiredly. "No...don't worry...okay..." Raggedear turned toward Amberpaw with the last great amount of energy he could muster and met her glistening eyes.

"A lot of bad things happen...but you can't let the memories run your life...Don't be afraid..." Raggedear smiled tiredly at Amberpaw as he leaned his head back against the tree, his eyes slowly closing shut. Amberpaw backed away, pausing to look at her mentor one last time. With her now tearstained face, she looked briefly into the surrounding trees, before returning her gaze to Raggedear.

"Don't go."

Amberpaw trembled slightly as Raggedear made no move; and with a small shudder, she backed away from Raggedear and moved toward the nearby brush, keeping her eyes on him as she went. She stopped before she went in to look back at Raggedear, and watched as his head slowly dropped.


	50. Chapter 50: Successful Escape

Lostheart limped forward, blood dripping down her foreleg from the gash on her shoulder. Around her lay the bodies of several injured cats, some possibly even dead. She had been outnumbered, but she had done it. The camp was empty now; all cats were either lying in the clearing defeated or hiding in their dens. A good portion of the TreeClan warriors had managed to escape, and it wouldn't be long now until their reinforcements arrived.

DarkClan's warriors had begun to gather by the entrance to the camp where Sunstar stood waiting for them. The entire clan looked horrible, pelts stained with blood, spirits broken, every pawstep painfully placed; Lostheart moved toward the group on shaky paws, exhausted from having fought off so many warriors at once. It required constant motion and the utmost precision, her training with Greysight had definitely helped in that matter. The wounds she received from the battle were deep, and even the spots free of cuts or scrapes felt like they were covered in bruises. The she-cat was so tired, she could hardly feel her legs beneath her as she wobbled on.

"The attack has to be called off. Willowstar could send in reinforcements at any second, we have to get out of here now!" Sunstar meowed hurriedly. Greysight stood amongst the cats with a defeated expression, that and her lack of Amberpaw proved her failure to retrieve the apprentice.

From where she stood amongst the warriors, Moonfur felt her heart stop in her chest. They didn't find her. The thought that her daughter was being horribly mistreated, or lying dead in a ditch filled her mind, causing her to hold back the choking feeling rising in her throat. Thankfully, it looked like everyone else was okay for the most part. Moonfur blinked as she looked among the faces of her battered clanmates, fear suddenly lighting her eyes. "Where's Raggedear?" she questioned.

Sunstar blinked and turned to look around, as did the other warriors, but no cat could find any trace of the mottled tortoiseshell. Thistleprick stepped forward past the group with wide violet eyes as he looked over the bodies spread across the camp; some were still moving slightly, but most lay still.

Sunstar shook his head. "There's no time! We have to go, _now_!" Moonfur was about to protest, but Thistleprick shook his head. "His body isn't here, he must have escaped." Thistleprick spoke with confidence, knowing his brother was smart to do something like that.

"Are you saying he deserted us?!" Darkpelt growled, eyes narrowing at Thistleprick. Moonfur stepped between the two toms, pelt bristling. "Raggedear would never do that!" Her eyes suddenly widened after a second of holding Darkpelt's midnight blue gaze. "He must have found Amberpaw and taken her back to the river! She was probably hurt!"

"She's right! Raggedear would never leave us, I know my brother."

Lostheart stumbled a second time, her paws falling beneath her as she lay no more than five fox-lengths from her clanmates. Her movements finally seemed to catch their attention as six pairs of eyes turned to look at the black she-cat lying on the ground, ending their previous conversation. Lostheart moved her head so that she was looking up at the group, her eyes meeting those of Sunstar's while the others looked down at her speechless.

Greysight winced inwardly as Lostheart's forelegs collapsed as she tried to pull herself up, her breath coming out in small wheezes. Sunstar's gaze remained emotionless as he looked down at the she-cat, eyes a hard, uncaring green.

"Let's go." he meowed, turning his back on Lostheart's crumpled form as he padded toward the camp entrance. He paused before the opening and turned to look back at the cats standing between him and Lostheart, irritated that they had yet to move. "I said_,_" he hissed, "Let's go. That's an _order_."

The clearing was still as the cats stood, staring down at Lostheart with unreadable expressions. The she-cat's eyes fell slightly as she looked into the eyes of her clanmates; they were leaving her... Lostheart's tired eyes moved to stare at the earth beneath her paws, her legs twitching slightly as she made another attempt to move.

For a long moment, no cat moved, but slowly Lostheart heard the soft movement of pawsteps and looked up to watch her clanmates leave her behind. Her eyes widened slightly, however, when she saw pale gray paws standing beside her. Lostheart turned her head, mismatched eyes looking up to meet Moonfur's own mismatched gaze with a frozen expression.

Sunstar's eyes widened slightly before he narrowed them further and snorted. "Fine. We'll leave you too." he hissed while turning to pad away once more. Moonfur kept a stern gaze, but said nothing in retaliation against the golden tom, letting her eyes speak the words for her.

Sunstar's ear twitched at the sound of more pawsteps, and to look expectantly back at his clan, only to see Greysight and Moonfur standing on either side of Lostheart. Sunstar blinked, and opened his mouth to question the two she-cats, but the words died in his throat as Browneyes padded up to the two she-cats, stopping briefly before them before turning to face Sunstar as well with a stony expression.

Darkpelt's eyes widened slightly as he watched his brother go, meeting his large brown ewith surprise. Sunstar looked shocked, anger and confusion evident in his features; and his tail lashed behind him as Thistleprick moved to join them, turning to face Sunstar with a small, lighthearted smirk. Sunstar's neck fur bristled in anger, how dare they defy him! He was clan leader!

"Fine then! You can all stay!" he hissed. "Come, Darkpelt."

Sunstar padded forward, refusing to look back at his so-called clan. The remaining cats stood in silence, watching Darkpelt with unreadable expressions. Darkpelt blinked meeting the eyes of his brother and averted his gaze in silence.

"Darkpelt!"

Sunstar stopped to look back at the flecked tom, eyes burning with anger. Darkpelt met his gaze, eyes shadowed with a sort of confirmation. Wordlessly, Darkpelt turned away from Sunstar and padded up to the cats standing around Lostheart, moving to stand beside Thistleprick with an impassive expression. Sunstar had never looked so appalled in his life as he stared back at his warriors, consumed with anger and confusion. Thistleprick shot Darkpelt a small smirk from the side which the warrior chose to ignore, amusing the calico all the same.

"I'm not leaving Lostheart behind." Moonfur meowed. "She's my friend."

"And mine." Thistleprick added. "Lostheart is our clanmate, we're not going to leave her."

"Warriors don't abandon their clanmates." Browneyes meowed; Greysight nodded confidently with a small smile. "Yeah, we're a family."

Lostheart lay on the ground still in shock, heterochromic eyes wide despite the tiredness that spread throughout her body. They...cared about her. The thought made Lostheart's chest ache with pain, but it was a strange kind of pain.

_"I will always love you._

_All you have to do is open up to people and let them know you, then they'll love you as well."_

Memories of Silentshadow echoed in her mind, and Lostheart couldn't help the tight sensation rising in her throat. Without even realizing it, the she-cat had opened up more to the cats of DarkClan than she had known. No one had ever paid her any mind after Ivyfoot had died, but then for once in her life, someone had reached out to her. Greysight had been her friend.

They included her in their lives, and without even knowing, she had begun to open up to them. Then she met Moonfur, a cat much like herself; shunned and alone. Lostheart had given Moonfur a new hope, and a place she could finally call her home. The black she-cat had saved her life in more ways than one; Lostheart was her closest friend.

Lostheart had always done what was best for the clan, and despite their hardships, she did whatever she could. She may have looked intimidating, and she may have been a quiet cat; but the she-cat had a kind heart.

Not only had Raggedear and Thistleprick finally found a home, but when the rogues had come after them, she had chosen to defend them. She didn't care that Raggedear had an issue, or that they were just rogues; she had let them stay in their camp.

They were simple little interactions: organizing patrols, eating as a group in the clearing, talking about how to deal with TreeClan or who would go on hunting patrol. But even so, through these small interactions the cats had begun to get to know each other, and without even realizing it, were finally able to build a relationship amongst themselves. They were friends, a family, a clan; and Lostheart was a member they cared about, despite the way they might show it.

Sunstar said nothing as he stood in silence, watching the cats before him. Finally, the tom snorted. "Fine. Have it your way." he hissed. "You had better hurry!"

Lostheart blinked wearily as Browneyes and Greysight pulled her onto Darkpelt's back while the tom crouched down to support her. Once they made sure Lostheart was secure, the cats followed hurriedly after Sunstar, Browneyes and Greysight running by Darkpelt's side in case Lostheart slipped.

The black she-cat was beginning to nod off as she watched the blur of green grass below her while the sounds of the forest began to fade into the background. Lostheart's eyes blinked wearily in surprise as she felt something wet roll down her face and drop to the rushing grass below. She blinked again in confusion at the strange occurrence, wondering what had happened. Too tired to fully comprehend anything at the moment, Lostheart's strange eyes began to blink shut and closed lightly as the she-cat drifted off to sleep.

* * *

When Lostheart's eyes had finally opened again, the she-cat found herself lying in nest of soft grass, the smell of herbs lingering in the air. Lostheart let out a small breath and carefully began to move, she was a bit sore, but all her cuts had healed up for the most part. She did however wince at the burning sensation on her shoulder as she moved, that was definitely the worst she decided.

"Lostheart!"

Lostheart's ear twitched at the sound of Roseclaw calling her name, and she turned to see the white she-cat pad into the den with a bright smile on her face. "I'm so glad you're okay. You had me worried there; its usually Greysight who winds up in the medicine cat den." Roseclaw meowed in relief, genuinely concerned about her sister.

"I'm fine." Lostheart meowed quietly, rising to a sitting position. Roseclaw smiled softly and nodded in agreement. "What about Amberpaw?" Lostheart asked quickly. "Is she alright?"

Roseclaw curled her fluffy white tail over her paws and leaned toward the nursery entrance. "Why don't you go see for yourself?" Roseclaw grinned, knowing Lostheart would be questioning her in her mind. "Don't worry, you're all set. You slept for an entire day you know...Just don't let Greysight know I let you out early." she added chuckling slightly.

Lostheart still felt a bit of anxiety in her paws, but Roseclaw's words reassured her. Stretching slightly as she walked, Lostheart entered the clearing, squinting to adjust her eyes to the dim light after being away from it for what seemed like forever. It was hard to believe she slept for an entire day. The camp wasn't exactly lively, but there were a few cats littered about the clearing. Immediately, Lostheart's eyes began to scan the camp as she searched for the apprentice she was looking for. The black she-cat blinked upon finding Amberpaw's dark brown pelt beside that of Wetpaw's not far from the leader's den. The leader's den... Her thoughts were instantly pulled to Sunstar, her supposed father, as she remembered the events at TreeClan's camp. He was going to desert her there, to die at the paws of TreeClan, or worse... It was true that Sunstar had never been particularly kind to her, but the fact that the tom wanted her dead was... There was always the chance that he had simply wanted to act in the best for the clan, but the decision was made so easily. There was only one explanation to why Sunstar treated her the way he did; other than that of shame. He blamed her for the death of Silentshadow and Ivyfoot, the ones most important to him. In that perspective, Lostheart supposed she could understand...it was her fault.

Lostheart blinked out of her thoughts as she realized she was standing in front of the two apprentices, both of which were now looking up at her strangely. "Amberpaw." Lostheart stated simply. "Are you alright? How did you escape?" As far as Lostheart remembered, they had been unable to locate the young she-cat by the time Sunstar ordered them to leave.

Wetpaw's body stiffened at the question and he glanced at Amberpaw warily from the corner of his eye. Amberpaw's normally bright eyes were uncharacteristically downcast and focused on the ground. Lostheart immediately took notice of both the apprentice's reactions and felt a small sense of dread, something bad had definitely happened.

"What is it?" Lostheart meowed, her tone more anxious than it had ever sounded when she had spoken before, a fact that both apprentices appeared to pick up on. Was someone hurt? Or...

"Pineneedle was keeping me trapped. I tried to get away, but there were so many cats! And I got scared..." Amberpaw meowed, struggling with her words as warm tears began to roll down her face. "I didn't want anybody to get hurt! And Raggedear, he...he-"

Wetpaw hastily pressed against his sister's side and looked away from Lostheart's intimidating gaze. The black she-cat was completely silent, seemingly frozen in place as time ticked by and Amberpaw sniffed lightly beside her brother. Questions filled her mind, only causing her more to arise.

"Lostheart sat down in front of the two apprentices and dipped her head shortly. "What happened?" she asked again, voice as calm as always. However, inside the she-cat felt anything but. What happened to Raggedear? Where was Moonfur? Where were Greysight and Thistleprick? What had happened?

"Raggedear saved me." Amberpaw meowed trembling. "But now..."

Lostheart said nothing, a shadow covering her face, as she stepped back from the apprentices, choosing to give them their space. Raggedear... Lostheart could feel a sudden sort of heaviness drop down inside of her; he couldn't be gone. And where was Thistleprick? Lostheart blinked as a cat suddenly crossed in front of her with a dull expression, and she was somewhat to surprised to see Greysight's sightless gray eyes. The blind she-cat's head turned toward the apprentices with a small frown and weary eyes.

"Greysight. Where is-"

"Come on." Greysight meowed dully, stepping past Lostheart as she made her way back to the medicine cat den Lostheart had just left from earlier. The black she-cat in question said nothing and chose to follow Greysight, wanting some cat to fill her in on what had happened. When they came to the entrance of the den, Greysight gave a slight nod for Lostheart to go in; and as she did, Lostheart immediately noticed the two figures huddled in the corner.

The den itself was deathly silent, and as she approached the two cats, it was not difficult to recognize their familiar spotted and pale pelts. They were sitting in front of something.

Lostheart slowly walked up to the pair, choosing to move up beside Moonfur to see what they were looking at, but a part of her already had an idea. As she fell in alignment with the others, a single teardrop echoed around the floor of the den as it met the earth.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**Sorry I haven't written one of these in a while. By the time I end up posting, I never really feel up for it. Anywho, here is Chapter 50 whew. Getting there guys. Have to take the SAT again tomorrow... I also have a TON of work and projects to do which is just lovely, so I can't say when exactly my next chapter will be up**

**Lost**

**P.S Never posted it, but a song that really helped me visualize and inspired the scene where Raggedear saved Amberpaw is called 'Armed with Death'- the Walking Dead Game OST**

**P.P.S YOU ALL need to see this amazing animation that I don't know why I didn't tell you about sooner. Its called "Reversal of the Heart" it will be the first video that appears most likely and has a dragon on it. As you may or may not know, I love animation, and this is by far one of my favorite pieces. If you see it, be sure to let me know what you thought in a review!**


	51. Chapter 51: Coming to a Close

"Raggedear!" Thistleprick meowed, rushing forward as he pressed forehead to his brother's. "You're okay!" Tears of joy began to form in the corners of Thistleprick's eyes as he let out a laugh of pure relief, joy, and despair.

From where she stood, a soft smile graced it's way across Moonfur's features while Lostheart blinked from beside her as she watched the two toms. Raggedear's eyes were outlined by dark circles of exhaustion, and the tom himself seemed a bit stunned, if not confused. "...Thistleprick?" he mumbled softly, eyes rolling to the side to get a good view of his brother from where he lay in the makeshift nest Roseclaw had put together for him.

"Yeah, its me." Thistleprick replied, blinking away the tears from his face as he nodded. Raggedear was silent, but slowly the tom turned to look up at the roof of the den, eyes glazed over in a tired sort of daze. Roseclaw stood at the opposite end of the medicine cat den, watching the group with a small relieved smile as Moonfur and Lostheart padded back and eventually out of the den altogether to give the brothers some space and for Moonfur to inform Lostheart of what had happened while she was asleep.

"...Amberpaw?" Raggedear questioned lightly as he attempted to pull himself up to look for the young she-cat, but was unable to do so as he weakly fell back against the ground. Thistleprick instantly moved to cushion him and shook his head. "She's safe, we have her. You always have to go and play the hero don't you?" Thistleprick meowed. "Don't ever scare me like that again...I can't lose you, Raggedear."

Raggedear was silent as he took everything in; a mixture of emotions filling his tired body. His immediate feeling was one of relief; Amberpaw was okay, he had done it... However, as he looked up into his brother's semi-blurry form, guilt clawed at his heart. It had been selfish of him not to think of Thistleprick, he would never try to intentionally abandon his brother. "I'm sorry..." Raggedear meowed.

Thistleprick pawed him lightly on the shoulder as he always did and shook his head. "It's okay." A small smile grew on Raggedear's face as his eyes crumbled into a happy grin. "Hey, someone's gotta protect you." he chuckled lightly. Raggedear's eyes slowly re-opened and his grin faded slightly. "What happened? Is everyone-"

"Everyone is safe, don't worry." Thistleprick answered seeing the look on Raggedear's face. "And yes, Moonfur is too."

"I thought...it was really the end for me. But how did-"

"It was Moonfur." Thistleprick meowed, causing Raggedear's eyes to widen slightly. "After we found Amberpaw at the river, Moonfur was determined to find you, Sunstar ordered her against it, but she went anyway. Most of us were too injured to go any further and needed Roseclaw's medical attention. As the others went on, I stayed behind to wait on Moonfur in case she found you...I'll admit, I was thinking of the worst. But then when I saw Moonfur dragging your body out of the forest..." Thistleprick trailed off, voice suddenly tightening. Raggedear shook his head, signaling that it was okay for him not to go on.

_'Moonfur...'_

"You had lost a lot of blood by the time we had found you and took you back to camp, but Roseclaw was able to fix you up." Thistleprick continued with a grin.

Memories of the previous night suddenly flashed in Thistleprick's mind as he remembered how he and Moonfur had burst into the medicine cat den with Raggedear's body while the white she-cat had been tending to Lostheart's wounds. Thistleprick had begged, pleaded with Roseclaw to save his brother; he knew that if anyone could have saved him, it was her.

Raggedear let out a soft sigh, feeling more tired than he ever had before. Everything just seemed so..unreal; he was alive, Amberpaw was safe, Moonfur was safe, Thistleprick was safe, and no one else had gotten hurt. It seemed almost too good to be true. A part of him wondered why he hadn't just died back there; it would have seemed like a fitting end for him, dying alone in enemy territory... But a part of him felt like had finally been able to recompense for the past, and maybe- just maybe, that was why he had been allowed to live.

"You should rest." Thistleprick suggested. "Err, at least, that's what Roseclaw told me to say." he finished, tilting his head awkwardly. Raggedear nodded as best he could and listened as his brother padded away before lying his head against the soft grass of his nest.

* * *

Thistleprick stepped out of the medicine cat den and immediately breathed a sigh of relief as a small, warm breeze ruffled his fur. It seemed that everyone was already on their way to a quick recovery; Raggedear was probably the only cat who needed a bit more rest, but he would be fine in a day or so. Thistleprick dragged his paws slightly as he moved to sit in a small sandy patch to the side of the medicine cat den, observing the small creek that trickled through their camp. It almost looked like a crack on a stone in the way it stood out against the ground.

Thistleprick's tail tip twitched anxiously as he listened to the bubbling water as he zoned out, thoughts occupied by his musings. Quietly, Roseclaw approached the spotted tom from behind and padded up to sit beside him. Thistleprick's violet eyes blinked surprisingly out of his stupor and glanced to the elegant, white she-cat by his side.

Roseclaw could have rolled her eyes at the look of surprise on his face; was it really so surprising that she would sit with him? The blue-eyed she-cat refrained from performing such an action outwardly, but only because she knew the tom was likely going through some tough feelings at the moment. Despite this, Thistleprick's mouth quirked into a small grin as he closed his eyes in delight.

"Roseclaw." he meowed. "Hey."

Roseclaw's vibrant blue eyes were lined with concern as she looked at the lively tom. "How are you?" she asked.

Thistleprick's eyes opened and he shrugged indifferently, "I'm fine. You know how it is." he said grinning. Roseclaw was silent for a moment, noting how the smile didn't quite reach his eyes as it normally would have. "Are you sure? Because if you want to talk about it, it's okay you know."

Thistleprick's eyes immediately developed a mischievous glint that made Roseclaw's pelt prickle in annoyance. "Wh- Don't give me that look! Its not because I like you or anything! I just felt bad because we're supposed to be clanmates and all, but if you don't want to talk then fine." she sniffed, pelt heating up with embarrassment as she averted her eyes with an angry scowl.

"No." Thistleprick meowed, shaking his head with a dull tone once more. "I do, its just-" his eyes fell on the creek as his tail twitched again. "He really scared me, ya know."

Roseclaw's bristling white fur began to lie flat against her back as she listened to the tom's words. "What's wrong with that? It's okay to be afraid, especially when it concerns someone you care about." Roseclaw replied easily, eyes focused on the tom's expression.

"I know. I just can't stand the thought of Raggedear sacrificing himself like that. I guess its selfish of me, but he's my brother- my family; I can't let him go."

"Sometimes it's okay to be selfish." Roseclaw meowed, smiling slightly.

Thistleprick let out a small chuckle. "Maybe." he replied, turning to face Roseclaw. "If it wasn't for you, he might not be alive right now." Thistleprick's eyes lit up with sincerity. "Thank you."

"It was nothing." Roseclaw meowed, averting her eyes. "I couldn't let any cat die, especially one of my clanmates."

Thistleprick rose to all fours and stretched out his paws behind him, "I'll see you later." he meowed, turning to pad away without another word. Roseclaw watched him go with a small frown and a small amount of concern; she hoped Thistleprick would return to his normal self soon.

* * *

Lostheart was silent for a moment after Greysight finished her account of the day previous. There would definitely be repercussions for their actions soon enough, it seemed like things would finally be coming to a close; only Lostheart couldn't help the small feeling of dread that overcame her.

It was already late, and all the patrols had returned to camp for the night. They only had a few days until the next Gathering, and until that time came, Lostheart had a feeling that everyone should train their hardest during those few hours- who knew what could happen.

"We need to hold a clan meeting to discuss what we're going to do." Lostheart said seriously. "Do you mind gathering everyone up?"

Greysight nodded, "Sure, I'll move as quickly as I can."

It didn't take long until the entirety of DarkClan sat in the clearing; even Sunstar had come out to join the meeting. Raggedear was sitting beside his brother, finally up and moving with Amberpaw pressed by his side. The apprentice looked completely lit up beside her mentor, and Lostheart could only imagine her reaction at seeing Raggedear out of the medicine cat den.

Darkpelt and Browneyes sat together near Greysight and Moonfur; and for once, Lostheart noticed, everyone was sitting closer together than they normally would have-save for Sunstar of course. The golden tom sat at the head of the group with a hardened expression, and it was clear that this might be their most serious meeting yet.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**I was going to make this chapter longer, but I'm being really slow at the moment and its been forever since I updated and just-liafaskbf So I had to post it xD**

**Lost**

**P.S Yup, I've seen the Butterfly Dragn and I agree that it is beautifully done.**

**P.P.S I hate being busy.**


	52. Chapter 52: Inevitable

"This is it." Sunstar declared, voice low. "It would seem that our final confrontation with Willowstar becomes closer each day; and after the raid...who knows how long it will be until he strikes." Sunstar was familiar with the way Willowstar worked, and knew that tom would normally try to draw things out for as long as possible, but now that DarkClan had chosen to make a bold move against their enemies, Sunstar was sure that Willowstar would act out in his rage soon enough.

The clearing remained a passive quiet as the clan listened with a mix of both worried and unreadable expressions. Lostheart in particular felt an overwhelming sense of dread; confrontation was not always a good thing, especially when it involved ruthless cats like Willowstar. There was no way it could end well for DarkClan.

"-And when they do," Sunstar growled, "We'll be ready." Vibrant green eyes darkened as Sunstar analyzed the faces of his clanmates, letting out a small sound of satisfaction as he thought of finally being able to see his brother; that is, if Willowstar chose to show his face. The tom never appeared at any of their battles, and when he did, he stayed in the back far from any actual fighting. Sunstar could feel the tiniest furs of his pelt beginning to bristle in anger. Willowstar always let others do the dirty work for him; did the tom think he was too good for them?

Sunstar would make sure Willowstar finally faced him- he would make sure the other leader finally recognized him if it was the last thing he did. The golden tom did not care to be ignored, and Willowstar's increased distancing of himself angered him greatly. Even as kits the other never seemed to confide in him, in anything!

Sunstar blinked at his last thought, and inwardly felt a small twinge of regret. That wasn't entirely true, Willowpaw did try to talk to him, but he never listened...But this wasn't Willowpaw, not anymore.

"We can't fight them."

Sunstar's gaze snapped up at the sound of the voice, and immediately he focused on the speaker. Lostheart's voice may have been quiet, but for this moment she had chosen to try and speak up as best she could. Seeing that she had Sunstar's, and the clan's attention, Lostheart took a breath inwardly and tried to ignore all the stares now burning into her pelt.

"Sunstar," she meowed, meeting the leader's hard, green gaze with her own mismatched eyes. "We have to leave."

Sunstar's eyes visibly widened at the suggestion, and immediate whispers and movement broke out amongst the small group of cats. Thistleprick and Raggedear exchanged glances while Amberpaw looked up to Raggedear for some sort of answer. Browneyes became passive as he heard the statement, his head falling slightly as earthen eyes met the ground they so much resembled. However, everyone gave Lostheart their attention, willing to listen to the she-cat's words.

"We can find someplace safe, someplace where we can live in peace." Lostheart's voice quieted slightly, "My mother left once, and she told me about the world beyond our forest-so much larger and open than our own. There has to be a place out there for us, somewhere we can forget about this and live happily. Though I may not know much about the world outside our home; Raggedear, Thistleprick, and Moonfur do. I know it sounds extreme, but...I think it would be for the best."

Lostheart could see that her words evoked a strong response from Sunstar as she could see the rapid mixture of emotions in his gaze as his eyes darted around the clearing, brow creasing angrily. "You think that will do anything?!" he hissed. "Willowstar will follow us to the ends of the earth if he has to! Don't you see?!" Sunstar had unsheathed his claws and was now bristling in anger. "This is DarkClan's home! Just as it has been for over hundreds-generations of cats ever since Xander created our clan! We belong here, and we are not going to give it up. DarkClan has never given up when the clan's way of life was challenged before and several times over; and we are not going to do it now!"

Wetpaw and a few of the other apprentices seemed to shrink back by Sunstar's harsh words, and looked to their mentors with questioning gazes, gazes to which they could only receive impassive looks in return. "For the remainder of this moon, training will increase ten-fold! Those of you without apprentices will do the hunting and patrolling; and no cat shall bother me during this time." Sunstar finished definitely, glaring at the cats surrounding him.

Once the golden tom had gone, the clearing remained silent, each cat fully taking in his words. Lostheart bit back her tongue and glanced up at the dull, gray sky blankly; she needed to think. Without a single word to the other cats, Lostheart padded away to the tree tunnel, leaving the others to watch in a kind of dull curiosity.

Darkpelt straightened up after a moment, choosing to take control of the situation. "You heard Sunstar." he meowed, "Everyone go do what you need to." Roseclaw spared the large tom an unconvinced glance, but she padded away with Mintpaw, Wetpaw, and Raggedear toward the medicine cat den nonetheless.

* * *

Lostheart sighed and allowed herself to slump down as she looked up at the nearly full moon covered in shadow. What could they possibly do? The frustration and helplessness she felt was overwhelming; why couldn't anything ever be simple?

There wasn't much she actually _could _do now that Sunstar made his decision. She knew leaving their home would be a hard thing to do, but it was the only way. The stars of Silverpelt glimmered slightly in her dull eye, and she found herself wondering what Ivyfoot and Silentshadow would tell her.

Thinking back on what Sunstar had said, the idea of Willowstar pursuing them troubled her greatly; the tom had vowed to destroy their clan, but would he really go that far? Thinking of Willowstar, Pineneedle, Eagleclaw, and the other TreeClan cats made her feel strange, and for some odd reason, she almost pitied them.

The way TreeClan looked up to Willowstar was incredibly disturbing; and each time she saw the way they looked up to their leader with such reverence, such awe, Lostheart had to suppress a slight chill. Ever since she was young, Lostheart had noticed the way TreeClan regarded their leader; and it was almost as if he was some sort of deity in their eyes. The question was why? Had Willowstar really brainwashed them so much?

She didn't know what Sunstar could possibly be thinking. Taking on TreeClan alone was a death sentence, let alone the whole of LightClan as well. Still, Sunstar was their leader and they had to obey him...

* * *

It was already the night before the Gathering, and Darkpelt was returning from a late night patrol. Training had indeed been harsh over the previous sunrises, but it was all necessary for what was to come. Darkpelt's white fur seemed to glow lightly in the moonlight as he wound himself around the thick trees and brush of DarkClan's territory, blue eyes shimmering in the light. However, just as the tom moved to take another step, his ear twitched at a nearby sound and he found himself growing interested in the oddity of it.

The likelihood that it was actually prey was very low, but Darkpelt had kept his suspicions for a while.. Walking as carefully and silently as he could, Darkpelt followed the source of the noise and was not at all surprised by what he found.

"Thistleprick."

The calico tom's violet eyes widened upon seeing Darkpelt emerge from the brush. "Darkpelt!" he stammered in surprise. Quickly the tom pulled a grin and laughed slightly, "What're you doing out here at this time of night, eh?"

Darkpelt's eyes narrowed slightly as he said nothing in response, Thistleprick's smile faltered for a moment and the tom looked away awkwardly.

"You're a coward." Darkpelt stated impassively.

Thistleprick's ears turned back in shame at the word, and instead of meeting Darkpelt's eye, his gaze remained fixed at the tom's large, flecked paws. What bothered him the most was that Darkpelt hardly even seemed surprised to see him at all, almost as if he had been expecting it.

Darkpelt stood patiently, waiting for Thistleprick to face him. In all honesty he had been expecting this for a while now; ever since he first fought the tom he had seen the fear in his eyes and how quick he was to try and get out of a situation, when the Thistleprick first learned about TreeClan, and also before they had gone into TreeClan territory to find Amberpaw he had seen it. He had seen it all along and now his suspicions had been confirmed. Thistleprick was a coward, and now he was trying to avoid the inevitable fight that was to come.

"You're...not going to stop me?" Thistleprick questioned, a hint of surprise evident in his voice. Of all cats, he would have imagined that Darkpelt would be the one to... Thistleprick shifted a bit in an effort to lessen the enormous amount of guilt that was amassing inside of him. It was true, he had been thinking of running off, but he hadn't gone just yet, he couldn't will himself to.

"I'm sorry, okay." Thistleprick managed. "I just- I don't want to die. Raggedear and I, we've already been through enough to last us a century, we don't need this."

"And what about us?" Darkpelt responded impassively. "Are you so easily able to leave us behind?" The tom snorted and turned away slightly. "I should have known. No, I won't stop you. DarkClan doesn't need the likes of another traitor in our clan; a cat who deserts their friends deserves no place in our clan." _'Or what's left of it."_

Darkpelt turned away from Thistleprick completely and began to pad away, not even bothering to look over his shoulder at the other tom.

"Wait." Thistleprick said quickly, causing Darkpelt to pause mid-step, yet he still refrained from turning around completely. Thistleprick, glad to have the tom's attention, let out a small sigh. "Look, I'm not the fighting type." he began. "Raggedear has always been the fighter of the two of us; I've never really been that good at anything now that I think about it."

"That shouldn't matter." Darkpelt replied. "Contrary to popular belief, a warrior isn't measured by the amount of their strength."

Thistleprick blinked at this as Darkpelt turned to meet his violet gaze with midnight blue eyes. "Its about honor and courage, doing what is right to protect the cats you care about. A rogue like you wouldn't understand the sort of ties in a clan."

Thistleprick fell silent at this, but replied only moments later. "Why are you all so intent on taking down Willowstar when you could just leave like Lostheart said?"

"This is our home, we will not be scared off so easily. Willowstar believes he can take whatever he wants." Darkpelt growled, already obscure eyes darkening. "He thinks himself so much better and superior to other cats that he can do whatever he likes. The world is not his to control, and soon, he will be knocked off that high pedestal of his."

Thistleprick said nothing, a small look of shame still evident on his face. Darkpelt let out a small mirthless laugh and turned away from him. "Willowstar killed my father, and if it wasn't for an attack he had launched previously on our territory, my mother might be alive as well." Thick claws bug their way into the ground as Darkpelt recalled the memories. "I'll make him pay. You can do whatever you like; its rather selfish of you to act without thinking of the clan, especially if you believe this will have no effect on them, but I won't stop you."

Thistleprick didn't even know how to respond. He had never realized...

"This land and my brother are all I have left now, something I would hope you could understand. He's the only family I have left, and I won't let Willowstar take any more from us." Darkpelt finished a bit more quietly. Then, without another word he padded away toward the shadowy brush ahead, white pelt standing out strongly against the harsh shadows.

As he continued forward, his ear twitched at the sound of soft pawsteps following him. Darkpelt glanced to his side, a light shadow of surprise on his face. Thistleprick gave an awkward sort of grin, "So," he meowed, "You admit we're friends then?"

* * *

The air was rife with tension as Sunstar made his way to the front of the large group of cats. Every cat had the same question on their minds: What would happen? Would Willowstar do or say anything at the Gathering? Although they were all relatively anxious, the night of a Gathering was a night of truce, a thought which helped relieve some of the stress.

However, no one chose to say a word, and instead each cat appeared to be wrapped up in their own thoughts as Sunstar led them out through the tree tunnel. Greysight let the warm breeze ruffle her fur as she looked blankly up through the canopy of the trees to where she knew dark storm clouds were forming. She was eager to fight as always should the need arise, but remembering all her dreams and the warnings Mosspelt had given her, she couldn't help the small amount of fear that existed in the deep recesses of her mind.

Lostheart continued at the back of the group, also taking notice of the dark storm clouds that surrounded the full moon overhead. All her life, Willowstar and TreeClan had always been around, and according to Sunstar, they had always been the cause of DarkClan's problems.

She remembered a long time ago when Ivyfoot had told her that Willowstar had once been a DarkClan cat, Sunstar's brother. Thinking about it, she couldn't help feeling sorry for the golden tom that now led their group. He really had been through a lot in his life, probably even more than she knew about.

Thistleprick walked in step with Raggedear, Darkpelt, and Browneyes ahead of the black she-cat; a look of worry on his face. He believed he had made the right choice, and Darkpelt was right. It was time for him to stop being a coward, especially if it meant protecting cats he cared about. He glanced to Raggedear and Moonfur by his side and let himself smile a bit. This clan; it really had such an effect on them, and maybe that was a good thing. These cats, they were different, and Thistleprick was glad they had found them.

Darkpelt's face was locked in a stern gaze as he followed behind Sunstar; beside him, Browneyes gave his brother a warm glance meant to help soothe the tom. Darkpelt glanced at him briefly and gave a slight recognition to his actions, allowing Browneyes to nod in return. Browneyes knew his brother had a lot of anger, and he wanted him to be careful.

Ever since they were young, Darkpelt had aspired to live up to Shadestar's legacy. He remembered when he had woken up and heard the news, he had seen Darkpelt sitting alone outside the nursery and padded up to him. That was when Darkpelt told him and the two young toms sat in silence watching as the rest of the clan grieved over the loss of their father; and Willowstar was to blame.

Still, he wished Darkpelt would realize that revenge wasn't everything. Sometimes it was simply better to let things go, or did Darkpelt not realize what he had because he was so blinded by the idea of vengeance?

Whatever the case, Browneyes would always be there to support and protect his brother. He had made a promise to Blizzardpelt and he intended to keep it. Darkpelt was all he had left of a family, and in return he was the only family Darkpelt had left. They needed to stick together, and also to protect the cats most important to them. Browneyes nodded affirmatively in his mind; he wouldn't let any harm come to them.

Sunstar's eyes narrowed darkly as they came to the peak of the hill looking down on Fourtrees while the wind blew his fur around him. There was much that would need to be addressed at this Gathering, and he had not forgotten about seeing Brisingstar in TreeClan's camp. Whatever Willowstar would try to pull, he would be ready for it and he did not doubt there would be something.

Willowstar needed to be defeated, and he would not cower away like last time. He had grown since then. His brother was definitely a threat, but growing up he had always been one step ahead, he had always been the stronger one, and he would make sure this pattern continued at the end. Willowstar would not get the better of him.

Thinking of Shadestar, Sunstar's fur began to bristle in rage. He remembered how easily Willowstar had thrown him aside, like he was nothing. Shadestar was their leader, his mentor. Willowstar had been and still was on a pointless conquest for power, and even Sunstar had to admit his brother had become a formidable opponent, one that he never could have imagined when they were younger.

Willowstar had an unnatural ability, one that allowed him to steal the lives of other cats. Just how many cats' lives had the tom stolen? The very thought left a dark knot in the golden tom's stomach, but he pressed on nonetheless, hurrying down the side of his hill with his small clan following behind him.

The large, wide leaves of the four trees rustled lightly in the warm breeze as DarkClan approached the small ring. Sunstar himself was surprised to see the clearing completely empty, DarkClan had never been the first to arrive at a Gathering before. The clan seemed to be sharing in his thoughts as well as they took their seats in the soft grass, looking amongst each other a bit anxiously.

"Hmph. It would seem that we are the first to arrive tonight, and we shall wait for the others as is customary-" The golden tom stopped abruptly as he caught sight of movement outside the clearing, catching the attention of his clan. Lostheart and the others turned to follow his gaze, remaining silent as the large mass of cats approached.

Sunstar's eyes widened slightly as the group entered the clearing with Willowstar at its head and Morningstar and Brisingstar at either one of his sides. Moonfur sat beside Lostheart with her own shocked expression; and as she looked amongst the large group of cats behind Willowstar, she was easily able to pick out Hawkmask, OceanClan's deputy. The she-cat seemed to meet her gaze for a second, but promptly looked away.

Lostheart was also able to pick out several of the unusual, wavy pelts of the OceanClan cats. Amongst the group she could already recognize Foamstep, Dunefur, and Clamtooth; the warriors she, Thistleprick, and Browneyes had met when they went to ask OceanClan for their assistance.

Willowstar led the group into the clearing and headed toward the great rock without even giving the DarkClan cats so much as a passing glance. Sunstar watched in disbelief as the tom leapt onto the Great Rock; his thick, wild fur blowing in the wind. Brisingstar and Morningstar both moved mutedly up behind him, making sure to stay around two tail lengths back from the TreeClan leader.

Sunstar's gaze immediately drifted to Brisingstar and he felt his blood run cold. The OceanClan leader looked utterly defeated and refrained from even looking up at the crowd. Dark shadows were cast under his normally vibrant blue eyes, and the tom suddenly appeared weaker and more frail than usual. Sunstar could feel his paws almost beginning to shake beneath him at the sight of the two leaders behind Willowstar, but he stood tall and hardened his eyes into a furious gaze from where he stood below the Great rock.

"Willowstar!" he yowled. "What have you done?!"

Willowstar grinned as yellow eyes flashed dangerously in the moonlight, the wind giving him an even more threatening form than usual. "OceanClan is part of TreeClan now."

A large wave of fear immediately washed over DarkClan, but Sunstar refused to submit. "Impossible!" Sunstar hissed, causing Brisingstar to dull even more. "StarClan has always decreed that there be four clans, I may have been more forgiving the first time, but this is unacceptable! One clan leader cannot rule over three clans! Willowstar, why are you doing this?!"

Willowstar's eyes shut thoughtfully for a moment as he let a smirk break out across his face. After letting out a small chuckle, the tom's acerbic eyes opened once more. "I am the supreme ruler, Sunstar. StarClan, I am greater than StarClan! The time has come for DarkClan's destruction, your destruction! I will allow you to return to your camp, but if you refuse to meet us at the TreeClan border for battle, then we will enter your territory and destroy your home ourselves." he finished darkly, locking gazes with Sunstar.

Sunstar said nothing and remained where he stood with his clan. The moon hung brightly overhead, giving no indication of StarClan's presence.

"So be it."


	53. Chapter 53: The New Deal

"This is crazy! We can't fight them all, Sunstar. We have to leave!" Moonfur pleaded. Sunstar stood pacing around the clearing, and shook his head violently.

"No. No one is going anywhere!" he finally hissed, rounding on Moonfur. The pale she-cat shrunk back instinctively, but narrowed her mismatched eyes at the leader all the same. Greysight stepped between the two, sensing the rising tension. "TreeClan was already nearly twice our size before LightClan and OceanClan joined in; the only reason we won that fight back then was because of Cherrynose and you know it! If she hadn't sacrificed herself, the landslide never would've-"

"Silence!" Sunstar hissed, "Both of you are speaking out of place! Learn to hold your tongue; and you," he continued, eyes narrowing at Moonfur, "You don't even have any DarkClan blood, this does not pertain to you!" Sunstar held her gaze for a moment longer before stalking away to where Roseclaw sat watching them along with the rest of the clan.

"I take it you have prepared both Mintpaw and Wetpaw for the occasion and have already made sure all necessary supplies are in order." he stated.

"Yes, Sunstar." Roseclaw replied softly, blue eyes moving to avoid his gaze.

"Good." he affirmed. The golden tom then padded back to the center of the group and moved to address the entire clan in general. "All our recent training has not been for nothing. Now, we don't have much time before Willowstar will seek us out, we must go to the border." Sunstar stated while walking to the opening of the tree tunnel.

Warpaw, Branchpaw, and Goldenpaw followed eagerly after him, excited to be going into their first real battle. Moonfur's heart fell as she watched her kits, they had no idea about the true gravity of the situation or of the immense danger that was at hand; if anything happened to them... she wasn't sure if she could take any more loss.

Darkpelt, Browneyes, Raggedear, and Thistleprick all moved to follow him as well, each tom's face holding a serious expression. Greysight had been unusually silent during the entire exchange, but even she found herself moving forward to join the clan.

Roseclaw, Wetpaw, and Mintpaw had already gathered a large supply of herbs and were prepared to bring them to the edge of the forest near the battle should any of their warriors require immediate attention. Moonfur, being as stubborn as she was, was one of the last cats to join them along with Lostheart who had been silently watching each of the cats as they went by.

With an expression as dull and unreadable as usual, Lostheart joined the group and padded up to Sunstar whose eyes immediately narrowed in disgust upon her approach. It was a look that seemed to say "this is all your fault", and the tom himself had even considered leaving the she-cat behind but had chosen not to so that they would have another set of able paws.

Lostheart was no longer bothered by the looks of disgust, anger, and fear she so often received; she was not a kit anymore, and she was not afraid of Sunstar.

"Sunstar," she meowed plainly, eyes suddenly becoming serious, "We're all going to die." her words were spoken softly so as not to disturb the apprentices, but Sunstar was able to hear her. Her voice held more emotion than it ever held before, and her eyes were practically pleading for Sunstar to listen to reason.

Sunstar looked genuinely taken aback for a second, but his expression easily reverted back to its state of hardness and he only snorted in response. "We will put an end to Willowstar's reign of terror today." Sunstar announced. "We may be outnumbered, but that has never stopped us before. If we can take down Willowstar, we can win this. A single cat cannot control three clans, I assure you, he was likely only trying to scare us. The sheer number of cats in OceanClan and LightClan combined could easily revolt against him, and it is clear that they are against his rule as well. The key is to defeat Willowstar; the tom is unnatural, and his abilities go against nature and StarClan itself. We cannot allow a cat like him to take over."

Greysight suddenly found herself hanging onto Sunstar's every word as she heard him say "abilities". Just what ability was Sunstar talking about? "Ability?" she questioned aloud, catching the attention of several other cats who had been thinking the same thing.

"Yes." Sunstar meowed gravely after a short pause. "I am sure you are all familiar with the tale of Shadestar." His words piqued an immediate interest in Darkpelt as the tom's pupils suddenly dilated dangerously for a short second. Every cat was aware that the TreeClan leader had murdered the previous DarkClan leader, but no cat knew the details of the event. It was something Sunstar had refrained from speaking of his entire life, and it was one of the few topics the golden tom never brought up. Consequently, now that the tom was suddenly mentioning it, all cats listened eagerly for what he would say next with a mixture of anxiety and anticipation.

"Shadestar, being the honorable tom he was, told me not to intervene." Sunstar started, his voice sounding as if speaking about the subject was difficult for him. "He wanted to be the one to take down the monster he had created; and if he failed, his hope was that Willowstar would be content in having killed him. As you can see, this was unfortunately not the case... I watched the battle, and it was there that I witnessed something truly horrifying. I had before questioned just how a cat like Willowstar could be accepted by StarClan as a leader of TreeClan, and now I realize how this has come to be."

Greysight's ear twitched at the golden tom's last statement, thoughts immediately going back to her dream with Mosspelt when the old medicine cat had told her that Willowstar had never been accepted by StarClan. Now she was listening eagerly, waiting for the answer to the question that had forever plagued the back of her mind.

"Willowstar was never granted nine lives from StarClan, but rather has chosen a darker path. Willowstar's lives are stolen."

Greysight's sightless eyes widened, _'Stolen?' _"What do you mean stolen?" she asked, voice devoid of any of her usual confident temper.

"Stolen." Sunstar stated. "As in taken from others. I watched myself as Willowstar sucked the life from Shadestar's body, without so much as even a harsh wound or death blow. It is highly unnatural, surely some sort of divine error that Willowstar has been granted such a dark gift, one that will only suffer from misuse in his paws."

The clan fell silent, looks of shock written across their faces. "That's impossible..." Roseclaw whispered, blue eyes widening fearfully. Her mind suddenly strayed toward the frail images of Brisingstar and Morningstar and she suddenly began to feel sick to her stomach.

"Just how many..." she began.

"I don't know." Sunstar replied. "But I will make sure that Willowstar will never harm DarkClan again."

Greysight felt her blood run cold as she and the others followed Sunstar as he turned and padded into the tree tunnel. Lostheart and Moonfur walked on either side of her, each caught up in their own thoughts. The toms followed behind, but they had remained quiet. Raggedear knew that a cat like Willowstar had to be defeated if they would ever be able to live in peace; he had no idea why the tom was so fixed on DarkClan, but in reality it would probably be best for all cats if he was defeated. The tortoiseshell had previously been able to pick up on his brother's fear scent, but as they now moved through the forest and toward the battle, Raggedear could see it had diminished slightly. Raggedear himself couldn't deny the fear he was experiencing, and he only thought it natural after all. His mind began to wander and he immediately shook himself back into focus, he couldn't afford to let his mind wander at a time like this when he needed to stay focused the most.

Browneyes had been shocked by the revelation as well; and he could already tell it had affected Darkpelt greatly. The large white tom's steps had become short and hurried; Browneyes had no doubt that his brother was feeling enraged after learning what Willowstar had done. Even he had to admit the thought left a bitter taste in his mouth, and he himself felt a strong hate for Willowstar. The tom was responsible for their mother's death and the constant threats to Darkclan; and now, they had discovered that their father's murderer had also stolen his life and was now using it for himself.

Lostheart said nothing as the end of the trees came into view and she could see the familiar swaying grasses of the fields, a place she had spent much time during her life; and she couldn't help remembering everything that had occurred here. Above them, the trees shook in the wind and blew a few leaves through the air. She followed Sunstar and the others out into the field, but they were the only cats there. Sunstar gave a slight nod to Roseclaw and the she-cat moved back with her apprentices behind a fallen log in the trees. Sunstar stepped forward, looking across the field and river to the line of TreeClan's trees ahead for any sign of movement.

From where she stood behind him, Lostheart looked up at the black sky; it was the darkest she had ever seen and its shadow already lay across the ground making everything look at least a shade darker than usual. A light thunder rumbled in the sky, but any sign of actual rain had yet to come.

Lostheart blinked when Greysight suddenly turned to look down the plane of grass opposite the cliffs and river. Sunstar and the others soon followed her movements and stood watching as a dark moving line approached them. They moved into a line themselves with Sunstar at their head standing proudly in the grass, waiting for the approach of Willowstar's forces.

A few cats stiffened as they realized the sheer size of the group. Greysight herself had hardened her expression into a thin line as she felt the thundering pawsteps. Willowstar must have brought every warrior in Ocean, Light, and TreeClan.

The large group of cats stopped a good distance away from the small line of DarkClan warriors and apprentices and a single cat stepped forward from it's ranks, his form towering over the other cats surrounding him. Both Sunstar and Willowstar moved to stand farther away from their clanmates and faced each other from opposite sides.

"Willowstar!" Sunstar roared.

The great warrior let out a chuckle as his eyes flickered to the pitiful amount of cats standing behind Sunstar. "Oh? Is this pathetic bundle your entire clan, Sunstar? To think DarkClan has come so low." he crooned, eyes drifting over Lostheart, Greysight, and the others briefly. "You are smart to come and meet your destruction; trying to escape would be meaningless."

Sunstar's eyes narrowed at his brother. "You're a smart tom Willowstar, and I know that you are always one to listen to a deal."

Willowstar's whiskers twitched lightly and the tom's familiar toothy grin made its way across his face. "Oh, so you have a proposition for me do you?" he questioned, eyes glinting. From behind Sunstar, the DarkClan cats glanced at each other in confusion; Sunstar hadn't said anything about this.

Sunstar's face remained stonily set in place. "You and me, a fight of leaders one-on-one. If I win, you have to leave this forest and never return. If you win, you may take my life and in return spare my clan; I know its me you want!"

"Hmmm." Willowstar mused coyly. "Alright brother, I'll play your game." The situation felt increasingly familiar to the two toms as they set the terms to their match.

Sunstar growled at the term brother only increasing Willowstar's amusement. The wind blew strongly around them causing Willowstar's already untamed pelt to grow even more wild.

Greysight's eyes widened in surprise as did many of the DarkClan cats', they hadn't been expecting something like this at all; and now they could only stare in shock at their leader. Willowstar turned and gave a large swish of his tail toward the massive army behind him; and as he did, the cats began to move around the area, forming a large circle around the two leaders.

Sunstar watched them move from narrowed eyes and signaled for his own clanmates to step back as well. Willowstar shook of his pelt and circled around his side of the makeshift circle for a moment as if to stretch his muscles. The DarkClan cats watched from the sidelines anxiously; no cat had actually seen the TreeClan leader in a fight before, but they couldn't deny the tom was massive. Willowstar was nearly twice Sunstar's size, and the tom's powerful muscles could be seen evidently in his legs. His thick, wild fur concealed the muscle on his upper body, but succeeded in giving him an even more intimidating appearance.

Sunstar rose to all fours as well and unsheathed his claws from where he stood across from his brother, and Willowstar eventually moved to stand across from him as well. The tom's expression had suddenly hardened, becoming serious as massive, white claws were unsheathed.


	54. Chapter 54: The Duel

The moment the two toms stood across from each other, a thick tension beginning to rise over all the cats as the two clan leaders stood completely still, eyes locked. This was the moment both toms had truly been waiting for. For Sunstar, this may have very well been the single most important battle of his life. Everything from the past had led up to this moment; all his friends, his family- they had sacrificed themselves so he could get here, and he would not allow their deaths to be in vain.

Willowstar had murdered his mentor, their leader, and he was responsible for the death of his closest friend. Last time, he had been unable to attack his brother; but he had grown stronger since then. Willowstar was not the same cat he had known in his kithood; and any remnant of pain, regret, or pity he might have felt in the past was now replaced with an unending rage.

The wind blew around them, but neither tom took the first move, prolonging the tense atmosphere around them and their clanmates. From where she sat, Lostheart could see Pineneedle and Eagleclaw at the head of TreeClan's group, grinning. Beside them sat Morningstar and Brisingstar who both had TreeClan warriors on either side of them; the two former leaders watched the event unfold with dull eyes, feeling entirely powerless having been stripped from their rank so easily. Their clan had been taken from them and there was nothing they could do.

It all seemed to happen in slow motion. Sunstar and Willowstar's eyes had remained locked, both toms watching the other for even the slightest indication of movement; that's when Sunstar saw it, the slightest flicker in Willowstar's eyes. Sunstar bolted forward in a flash of golden fur as Willowstar, who had read his movements, thundered to meet him at the center of the makeshift ring. Their bodies met with a loud clash as the two toms savagely tore out against each other, each fighting for the upper hand in battle.

Willowstar's impact had nearly toppled Sunstar over, but he had managed to hold his own and was now attempting to push the larger tom back, his claws tangled in the other's wild fur. Sunstar hissed as he felt himself being pushed down, and he knew he wouldn't be able to overpower his brother. Twisting his body, he tore himself away from Willowstar and leapt back a good tail-length or so.

But the other tom gave him no time to rest and almost immediately upon his release had dashed after him with claws outstretched. Sunstar felt his blood run cold for a split-second as Willowstar suddenly re-appeared above him in preparation to strike. Acting on instinct, Sunstar was able to avoid Willowstar's blow and slip around him, leaping onto his back in the process. Willowstar threw back his head in an attempt to shake Sunstar off, but the golden tom was determined and managed to hold on.

The TreeClan leader laughed as Sunstar struggled to keep his grip while attempting to tear through his thick brown fur. Willowstar suddenly twisted his body and grabbed Sunstar with his forepaws, ripping him off of his back and onto the ground. Sunstar was unable to defend himself as Willowstar's next blow came to his stomach, causing his body to roll back slightly. The wound on his hindleg where Willowstar had dug his claws in was bleeding profusely, and five small holes could be seen clearly on his thigh. The blow to his underbelly felt like something had exploded inside of him, and Sunstar couldn't help the slight trickle of blood that flew from his jaws.

It was painful, but he pulled himself up, holding back the burning he felt inside of him. He knew he couldn't afford to take such large blows from Willowstar; he was too powerful. The tom in question stood watching him only a few tail lengths away, simply waiting for him to get up. His claws were stained red with blood, but Willowstar had yet to receive any wounds himself.

Sunstar could feel the rage burning inside him as he looked at his brother. Willowstar acted as if he was nothing! With a yowl Sunstar kicked off the ground and leapt at Willowstar. "Are you happy now?!" he cried, "We're the two most powerful leaders in the entire forest , just like you always wanted!"

Willowstar's narrow, yellow eyes instantly snapped to his attacker and in an unexpected move he leapt upward and rammed himself powerfully into Sunstar mid-jump. He had chosen to attack the exact same place he had earlier, succeeding in causing Sunstar to flinch in pain as he fell onto his back.

Seeing his opportunity, Willowstar's claws shot forward and dug into Sunstar's chestfur, staining the soft, white pelt of Sunstar's underbelly red as blood trickled down as he dug his claws in deeper. Sunstar let out a pained gasp that caused Willowstar to grin sadistically as he held the golden tom up.

"You are wrong, brother. _I_ am the single most powerful leader in the forest!" he hissed. Sunstar struggled against the growing pressure and felt a wave of fear reach over him as he suddenly began to feel weaker. His struggles against Willowstar slowed as his limbs grew tired and moved to hang simply beneath him. "Who's the best now?!" Willowstar hissed lowly, teeth clenched.

"Not...you..."

Without any warning, Sunstar suddenly swung his body forward with what little power he had left and tore at Willowstar's face with the claws on his hind legs. The release was immediate as Willowstar threw his head back and dropped Sunstar to the earth. Willowstar let out a roar at the bleeding scratches now scarring his forehead and shook his head, spattering small droplets of red blood onto the grass.

One TreeClan cat had instinctively taken a step forward from the crowd and was immediately rounded on by Willowstar. "Nobody move!" he hissed, blood now trailing down his muzzle. Sunstar took the short opportunity to collect himself as he searched his mind for the strategies he had thought up earlier.

The DarkClan side of the field had remained completely silent, each cat watching in anticipation; and the apprentices in awe. Above them, a loud rumble boomed, shaking the ground with it's might. Lostheart felt strange looking at Sunstar's beaten form; she had never expected for Sunstar to do something like this.

Sunstar ran at Willowstar while the tom was distracted and plowed into his side, causing the large tom to stumble ever so slightly; when he did, Sunstar slid beneath him in an attempt to claw at his underbelly. The situation backfired, however, when Willowstar suddenly stood straighter and caused Sunstar to miss by an inch. With Sunstar still on his back, Willowstar leapt onto him, holding him down with both forepaws as the golden tom attempted to pull himself up.

He really was a loyal DarkClan cat.

Willowstar bit into the scruff of Sunstar's neck as he tossed the wide-eyed leader to the side before promptly slamming back down on him again with the full force of his weight. Sunstar yowled in anger as he tried to rise up on shaky paws from beneath the large claws holding him down.

Willowstar laughed and tore his claws down the other's back, causing Sunstar to shriek in pain. Willowstar then slammed him to the ground; blood now seeped from a new wound on the side of the golden tom's head as the fearsome leader pulled him back up again and slammed his head down once more, crushing it between his paw and the earth.

Sunstar's vision was beginning to blur now, but he still thrashed beneath Willowstar in an effort to get loose. His head throbbed dully as he was lifted again; and this time, Sunstar fought with all his might and put the entirety of his strength into leaping up. As he went, he could feel the light release of Willowstar's claws and an immediate sense of relief washed over him.

The feeling did not last however as, quicker than lightening, Willowstar's claws were back at his neck; and before Sunstar had time to react, Willowstar slammed his skull back to the earth.

Browneyes and Thistleprick turned rigid, and all of DarkClan stood watching with shocked expressions. Lostheart in particular could only stare at the unmoving figure and the blood that now stained the earth where he lay. Willowstar was breathing heavily as he took a step back, face stained by blood.

The tom then let out a short chuckle, a chuckle that soon escalated into a maniacal laugh. Grinning tightly, Willowstar pushed Sunstar over with one swoop of his large paw.

The tom lay motionless, blood still trailing down from the wound on his forehead. Willowstar's entire form began to shudder as the tom stepped back once more and laughed at nothing in particular as he looked seemingly up into the empty space.

Greysight felt her heart drop, and her pelt grew cold with the eerie sound of Willowstar's laughter. Sunstar...was he? Greysight's focus was immediately pulled to the motionless body, and her eyes slowly lowered.

_'...Wait!'_

Greysight's head suddenly snapped up; a motion that did not go unnoticed by her clanmates. Immediately they turned their attention toward the two leaders as well while Willowstar continued to laugh on.

The tom's ear twitched for a moment and his laughter suddenly died down, his face losing any trace of joy or insanity. "Eh?" Willowstar turned, sharp yellow eyes snapping down to Sunstar's body.

A few short gasps could be heard from the crowd as they looked to see Sunstar shakily rising to all fours, face shadowed beneath him. "I said..." Sunstar muttered, "Is that all...you've got?" The golden tom's head suddenly snapped up, green eyes burning with rage.

"Still have more lives left do you?" Willowstar sneered.

Sunstar met his brother's eyes evenly and took up a defensive position across from him, moving slowly to the side. Willowstar's face was set in an even line as he followed his brother's pattern and the two toms circled across from each other, each watching the other with the utmost concentration. Sunstar's head hung low as he limped weakly along, pawsteps revealing just how utterly exhausted he was. This continued for a few more strides until Sunstar's neck fur finally bristled and he shot off unexpectedly from the spot at which he stood.

"Willowheart!" Sunstar roared, dashing forward on weary paws. Willowstar's eyes narrowed in anger at the use of his former name; how was the golden tom even alive?! Sunstar's sudden burst of speed was completely unexpected, and Willowstar had no chance to react as Sunstar appeared in front of him and slammed a single paw across his face.

The action managed to cause a few stray drops of blood to fall from the tom's muzzle, only increasing Sunstar's determination. One after the other, Sunstar inflicted rapid blows and short scratches to Willowstar's face, shoulders, and legs as he danced around him; causing Willowstar's frustration to rise dramatically as he clawed frantically after his brother in an attempt to touch him.

"You weren't meant to be a leader!" Sunstar cried. "Shadestar was only trying to do what was best for you!"

Willowstar hissed loudly and finally tackled Sunstar, causing the two toms to thrash about in the long grass, cutting each other up with short slashes of their claws and sharp bites from their teeth. "I am the most powerful leader who has ever existed!"

Sunstar had tried to avoid being pinned down again, but Willowstar had once again managed to gain the upper hand.

Sunstar struggled against his brother's weight as Willowstar pressed himself down and took hold of one of Sunstar's forelegs in his jaws in an effort to hold him still. Sunstar's eyes widened at the dark look on his brother's face and immediately moved to scratch at his bright, yellow eyes with his free paw, but he wasn't quick enough.

Sunstar let out a howl of pain as Willowstar's teeth dug into his foreleg and the familiar crimson liquid began to bleed through his fur, but Willowstar wasn't done yet. His grip tightened painfully and he began turning his head, much to Sunstar's horror. His foreleg was immediately powered against him and Sunstar cried out in pain as Willowstar continued to apply more pressure. In one quick move, Willowstar twisted his neck and sharp crack was heard throughout the clearing.

Greysight flinched at the sound, and bit back the utter feeling of sheer horror she got from this fight. It was one of the most violent exchanges she had ever experienced, and it pained her to watch it. It must be truly disturbing, she realized, for cats who could actually see and not just envision it like she did.

Sunstar dragged himself away from Willowstar while his foreleg hung limply by his side. The sheer amount of pain he had felt was unbelievable, and now, he could not even feel the appendage. Willowstar watched his brother's pathetic display with contempt, his ears perking up curiously when Sunstar suddenly turned back around. Sunstar's hard green eyes met his own in a challenging manner as they stood across from each other, fur swaying in the wind. Sunstar's green eyes shone vibrantly with determination despite the bleeding scars on his body, and the mangled foreleg hanging beneath him.

_'You really are a fool Sunstar.'_

The clans watched as the two toms ran at each other from opposite sides of the clearing, Sunstar as best he could on three legs. Another loud clap of thunder shook the ground beneath them, but caused neither tom to falter in their attack.

Morningstar, Brisingstar, TreeClan, DarkClan, and Lostheart all watched the scene with wide, deeply immersed gazes. As Sunstar ran at his brother, time seemed to slow down, and once again Sunstar was met with the face of Willowkit; only this time, he wouldn't hold back.

* * *

The clearing had suddenly become completely silent, all eyes fixed on the two figures in the very center of the clearing. Even the wind had stopped blowing, and the grass and trees grew still- only the clouds continued moving above.

Sunstar and Willowstar's faces stood little more than a tail-length apart, eyes locked as Willowstar stood above the body of his brother, claws deeply embedded in his neck. Sunstar's eyes fell slightly and the corners of his bloodied mouth quirked slightly.

_Drip._

"Got..you..."

Willowstar's eyes were wide in shock, and slowly, the tom looked down in horror to see blood dripping from his neck where a large slash had torn across his throat. He had never felt anything like this before, and despite the warm, aching sensation, he felt his body grow cold. Slowly, shaky eyes moved upward to meet those of his brother's as the tom let out a small choking sound.

The crowd watched in shock as Willowstar stepped to the side and off of his brother, the blood from the deep gash on his throat continuing to drip onto the ground as it filled his throat and jaws. Willowstar's eyes narrowed in rage as the tom made an attempt at a snarl, but the only noise that came from him was one of a strangled choking before he was slowly pulled down beside his brother. Willowstar twitched as the tom made one final sneer in an effort to pull himself up, but his body froze in place.

The clans were stunned; Brisingstar and Morningstar in particular couldn't believe what they were looking at.

Lostheart sat motionless from her spot on the sidelines; the she-cat didn't even blink as she felt something short strike her forehead, but looked up slowly into the dark sky hanging above. The short droplets continued to fall as a light rain came over the fields and the bodies of the two leaders lying side-by-side in the clearing.

Sunstar's eyes remained open as his vision slowly began to blur; despite this, the tom couldn't stop smiling to himself. For above him, he saw the pale form of a familiar she-cat; her soft, gentle gaze greeting him with a warm smile. The soft raindrops fell onto his pelt, but the he didn't feel them.

Nothing seemed to even exist anymore; and all he could see around him were the smiling faces of his friends together as apprentices, sitting beneath the maple tree. Neopaw,Windpaw, Cherrypaw, Ivypaw, Shadestar...

_'I've been waiting...'_

_'Silentshadow.'_

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**Song inspirations: **

**The Duel- Chronicles of Narnia Prince Caspian**

**Love and Truth- Yui**


	55. Chapter 55

The rain continued on at a light drizzle, barely even staining the pelts of the cats overlooking the clearing. Each side stood completely frozen, unsure of what to do or say.

Sunstar was gone. The thought barely even registered in the minds of the DarkClan cats; the tom had simply always been around, and even though his guidance might not have been the best at times, it had still been there. Now they were just a small group of young, inexperienced warriors attempting to survive in a world far greater than they.

Lostheart's eyes drifted back toward the bodies of the two brothers lying across from each other and the dull, brown grass that was now stained with their blood. Sunstar had never been particularly kind to her despite her being his daughter; in fact, it was partly because of him that she was treated the way she was. The tom didn't deserve her sympathy, and yet...

For a cat to grow up alongside the brother they loved, and to then have that same brother turn on them and slowly chip away at their happiness was an unjust life. Lostheart knew how it felt to lose a mentor she cared about, and also how it felt to lose Silentshadow.

Despite their rocky past and the troubles they experienced, Lostheart knew that Sunstar really loved her mother; she saw it in his eyes all the time. He made some mistakes, and it certainly wasn't fair to Longtail or Silentshadow, but every cat made mistakes. It was part of life. Sunstar had to live through the destruction of the clan he loved and grew up in at his brother's claws, and watch all his friends and loved ones die before him.

He had a lot of pain.

Maybe it wasn't right for him to take it out on her, but she couldn't blame him completely. And maybe, if she had been stronger and more brave, Ivyfoot and Silentshadow would both be alive right now.

Lostheart's ear twitched as a small rustle caught her attention, as well as the other cats'. Across from where the DarkClan cats stood, Pineneedle and Eagleclaw lit up, smirks adorning their faces while Brisingstar and Morningstar shrunk back slightly with widened eyes. Lostheart watched as the long wild fur of Willowstar's body began to stir, and all cats in the clearing watched in amazement as the tom slowly rose to his paws. From where she stood, Lostheart couldn't see Willowstar's expression as he stood unmoving in the clearing, staring down at the body of his brother.

Now that their leader was up and standing, a small part of TreeClan's group moved forward; composed of Morningstar, Brisingstar, Pineneedle, Eagleclaw, and a select few TreeClan warriors. The DarkClan cats chose not to make a move and looked to each other for some sign of what they should do.

Lostheart didn't expect to see ten pairs of eyes suddenly looking at her with questioning glances. The black she-cat's mind went blank as she realized why they had turned to her like that. Her eyes moved slowly to look back at Sunstar's fallen body. If Sunstar was dead...then she was supposed to be clan leader now; she was the deputy. The thought of being a leader had never really occurred to her, and it was never something she had wanted. The she-cat had not even wanted the title of deputy, but Sunstar had given it to her in order to spite both her and the clan. Now everyone was looking to her for direction.

Lostheart's heart dropped as she stood rigidly in the lightly swaying grass; she couldn't be a leader...She didn't want to be a leader. It wasn't the right place for her, even if she had yet to find just exactly what that place was.

"Willowstar!" Eagleclaw pressed, hurrying close to his leader's side. "Are you alright?"

The tom stood completely still for a moment, before his body twitched lightly, and his claw tightened it's grip on the earth. Willowstar lifted his blood-stained face to reveal two psychotic, yellow eyes, pupils narrowed into tiny slits. The great tom clenched his teeth together, baring his fangs so tightly that to others it might appear as if they would crack.

Letting out a yowl of anger, Willowstar struck Sunstar's cold body with a single blow of his paw, grinning as the stiff body moved shook from his blows. Finally, after coming somewhat back into reality, the tom's eyes drifted to the small line of DarkClan cats standing across the way. Greysight could feel his shift in movement and stood as tall as she could.

"It would seem," Willowstar meowed, voice an eerily higher pitch than usual. "That Sunstar has lost." Pineneedle, Eagleclaw, Morningstar, and Brisingstar all followed Willowstar's gaze to look at the DarkClan cats with varying expressions. Eagleclaw and Pineneedle with satisfied grins, and the two leaders with looks of sympathy and regret. Sunstar had been their friend... Brisingstar in particular seemed to have lost all sign of light in his eyes as they became a dull, sullen blue.

"You're right." Lostheart meowed, catching Willowstar's attention. The tom's focus slowly shifted toward Lostheart and Greysight standing side-by-side in the crowd. By now, the light drizzle of the rain had slowed to a halt, but the sky remained dark and ominous. "You won."

Greysight's ear twitched at Lostheart's words, and like the other cats, she waited anxiously for what would come next. More than anything, Greysight could feel anger overtaking her, but she fought to control her temper. If anything, they needed to avoid a fight, no matter how much she wanted to knock off the smirks that she knew lay on their faces.

"And in winning, it is up to you to follow through with your end of the bargain. You agreed to let us go, an agreement made between leaders before StarClan itself."

Small, barely audible whispers could be heard from the large crowd of cats behind Willowstar, each wondering what would happen now. Sunstar was dead, and Willowstar had accomplished his goal as cold and selfish as it had been. Lostheart only hoped that whatever justification Willowstar had been looking for, he found.

The powerful tom in question had turned his head slightly, his face unreadable as the crowd watched him carefully. Willowstar's face cracked into a grin, and crazed yellow eyes could be seen once more as he let out a dark chuckle that soon escalated into a short bout of laughter.

Greysight felt the cats around her stiffen at the sound, but among them, Lostheart remained unmoving.

"You're not going anywhere!" he sneered, calming himself slightly. Lostheart felt her blood run cold as Willowstar leapt onto a large boulder nearby and stood above the cats centered below. "DarkClan will be annihilated from it's place in this world!" His eyes flashed toward Lostheart and Greysight in particular as they narrowed in rage. His business here was unfinished; Sunstar's kits still lived. Lostheart could see the malicious intent in Willowstar's eyes as they focused on Greysight and she, and she felt her blood run cold. He wanted to destroy Sunstar so utterly and completely that he would try to kill Greysight and she in order to annihilate all remaining trace of the tom and his bloodline.

"We had an agreement! And in doing so you swore to StarClan!" Darkpelt roared.

Willowstar merely grinned as gleaming eyes flickered to the white tom and he stood up taller on the rock, an amused sneer adorning his face. "StarClan!" he scoffed. "StarClan is meaningless to me! I have not broken our agreement. Sunstar said that if I won and I took his life, I would have to spare DarkClan." Willowstar continued darkly with a self-satisfied grin. "But you see, I never took Sunstar's life. I do not need his filthy lives!" Willowstar had begun to laugh again as the dark atmosphere around him continued to grow. "I am the most powerful leader in this entire forest! In the entire history of the clans! You will never defeat me, even if you somehow manage to take every one of my thirty lives!"

Lostheart and the rest of DarkClan quickly took a few paces back from the newly forming line of cats across the way as Willowstar laughed victoriously from where he stood on top of the great boulder as thunder boomed overhead and a flash of lightning lit up the dark sky. The shining of eyes, teeth, and claws from the cats ahead were all that remained bright amongst the shadowed land.

"What do we do?!" Thistleprick meowed, backing up slightly while shaking his head as the rest of the cats' fear began to rise. Greysight, Lostheart, Darkpelt and the rest of the cats, save for the listening apprentices, remained silent, each wearing serious expressions. Slowly they moved into their fighting positions; there was nowhere they could run, nowhere they could hide from Willowstar's hatred.

They were warriors of DarkClan; the cats who lived in the shadows and were feared throughout the four clans for their power, formed from a rebel group against the three, a clan known for it's bad luck; but despite all their misfortune, DarkClan always pulled through. Their ancestors had fought against the odds and had stayed loyal to the very end, and now they would too.

Ivyfoot, Cherrynose, Sunstar...they had all sacrificed themselves in their loyalty to the clan, and it was this same loyalty that would not allow them to run like cowards from Willowstar. They would not give him the satisfaction; he was a cat just like them, and no superior being or deity like he seemed to believe. They would not allow a cat like that, a cat so bent on hatred and destruction to take over the forest; and if they had to die trying, had to rip out thirty lives from Willowstar's body, then so be it.

Thirty lives, thirty lives of innocent cats stolen from them by this tom who called himself greater than StarClan. The entirety of DarkClan felt their hearts drop, and Greysight in particular tightened her claws against the ground as she thought of all the cats whose lives had been taken from them; and it made her feel an immense sorrow, knowing that all of those lives had indeed been innocent ones. She wouldn't have been surprised if some cats had volunteered with the way they seemed to revere their leader, and it disgusted her how Willowstar had brainwashed an entire clan of cats to follow under his rule so easily and completely.

There was no running now. Even if they did, the tom would only hunt them down like prey until each and every cat of DarkClan blood was slaughtered mercilessly. Only then did Willowstar believe he would be content, but even so, Lostheart knew his anger could never be quelled. Once everything was gone, the tom would only seek out more to continue on in his path of destruction; trying to fill the empty gap that would remain after nothing else was left for him.

The first wave of TreeClan cats took up their positions as dark clouds swirled above and the wind whipped against their fur. Willowstar's dark, billowing form was outlined as another flash of lightning struck the sky and he threw up his head. "Destroy them all!" he roared.

Quicker than lightning, a bright light suddenly erupted from the clouds and struck the ground, sending a shockwave amongst the cats. Lostheart felt her body shake lightly from the initial force, and her eyes widened in shock at the pillar of light that now lay between the two groups of cats. It lit up the clearing with a bright, blue glow; creating dark shadows over the separate groups.

Each cat had frozen in place, their eyes widening at the miraculous sight before them. It was almost as if the stars had joined together and struck the ground in one single beam of light!

Willowstar stood at the top of the boulder, his expression frozen as the light accented his dark features. "Wh-what is this?!" he cried, watching as light continued to radiate from the unnatural pillar.

The wind, the sky, and time itself seemed to have frozen in place; and all that moved was the swaying grass.

The light suddenly intensified, causing the cats to squint their eyes at it's sudden harshness. Then, figures burst forth from the column, pelts shining with a dull, otherworldly glow as the cats poured out from the beam and into the grass.

Greysight had frozen in place, her eyes wide in shock as all around her, cats began fading into place. She could feel her clanmates turning to look around in amazement and wonder. But what really stunned her was that she could see them! She could see them everywhere!

All around her, the forms of cats suddenly appeared visible in the usual darkness of her vision. Their pelts twinkled with a translucent starry light, matching the atmosphere she had so often seen in her dreams. Greysight couldn't believe it; this was StarClan!

Willowstar's mouth hung slightly open from where he stood, eyes widening at the forms of starry cats pouring out from the light and moving to stand amongst DarkClan. The great tom's yellow eyes were wider than they had ever been before, and a slight flicker of fear could even be seen in their depths.

Greysight continued to watch in amazement at the sight of the cats around her, and as she did, she slowly began to realize; this wasn't StarClan, these were DarkClan cats!

Willowstar stood frozen on his post as the pillar began to fade and a bright light began to grow overhead of the DarkClan cats, a figure forming in it's midst. Willowstar and the entirety of TreeClan looked on with shock and fear as the shadowy head of a great cat appeared at the front of the DarkClan cats, blue eyes glowing sharply out from the creature's starry form. The creature opened it's jaws and let out a deafening roar, causing many of TreeClan's warriors to stumble back fearfully.

The head of the great cat faded, causing Willowstar's eyes to suddenly snap back to his forces. His eyes widened in shock and rage as he realized several of his cats were scrambling away, running from the battle in fear. Willowstar let out a ferocious howl and leapt down amongst the fleeing warriors, slamming into all he could as he pulled cats back with his claws. "Cowards!" he screeched. "Fools!" Willowstar struck a nearby warrior and grabbed another by his side, pulling them around to face DarkClan.

Willowstar whipped around to face his enemies, crazed, black slits narrowed in rage. The tom's jaws were clenched tightly shut as he snarled at the cats across from him. "Destroy them!" he yowled more hurriedly than before, his face set into a deep grin. "Destroy them all!"

Time seemed to slow down around Lostheart as the pelts of starry cats moved past her. The she-cat turned her head in an attempt to look amongst them, her mind instantly traveling to something she had never thought possible before, trying to find certain familiar faces...

By now Greysight had a wide smile in face as she watched the cats moving all around her and felt the paws of the fleeing TreeClan warriors along with their thick fear scent. She still couldn't believe it, DarkClan- their ancestors had come! Sunstar had brought them!

Their size, although much larger now, could still not be considered extremely impressive, but DarkClan had always been small. However, they were enough to compete with Willowstar's forces. Greysight's head turned to look all around her, honestly still amazed at she was seeing.

Cats were everywhere! Cats she had never even seen before, but she could pick out a few she had always heard about in Silentshadow's stories when she was a kit! There was Tornear the brave, and Robinwing with the white belly; her eyes even fell on a particular dark tom standing passively a few feet away from her. Was that...?

Greysight's ear suddenly twitched and she slowly turned to look over her shoulder, a strange wind suddenly blowing around her with the familiar sound of a faint whisper she had heard so many times before. _"Greysight..."_Behind her cats were moving around, but she froze when she caught sight of one cat standing still amongst the others that blurred around them.

It was a she-cat. Her long, bushy white tail stood out from the rest of the StarClan warriors, and her sparkling silver eyes were watching Greysight along with a serene sort of smile. As Greysight met her eyes, the she-cat smiled at her, but before the Greysight could fully react, she was suddenly blocked by her view. Still, the sight of the she-cat left Greysight with a warm feeling in her heart as she thought of the warm smile she had seen only seconds before.

* * *

Lostheart found herself standing at the front of the group, her eyes still wide in shock, or at least as much shock as the she-cat was able to portray. She turned to look at the cats behind her and instantly her eyes fell upon a faded golden tom, watching her with a calm expression.

_'Sunstar...'_

Beside him stood a sooty tom, the likes of which Lostheart had never seen before; but if she had to guess, Lostheart thought she knew just who that tom was. They met her eyes in silence, watching her expectantly as she and her clanmates stood at the front of the group of starry warriors. Her heart pounded in her chest as her eyes scanned frantically through the crowd in an effort to find the cats she was looking for, but she knew what she had to do.

Stopping in her efforts, Lostheart turned with her clanmates to face TreeClan's line of warriors just as Willowstar yowled his attack. At her sides, Lostheart could see the faces of her clanmates revived with a new sort of courage and a strong sense of pride as they prepared themselves for battle, looking to the dark she-cat with the strange, mismatched eyes to lead them.

Lostheart took a step forward as the horde of enemy warriors came racing at them from across the clearing, and with small nods from her clanmates; Lostheart pushed forward, followed by the warriors of DarkClan and DarkClan's past for one last battle.

The wind blew through her fur as she raced toward their attackers, ready for what they knew needed to be done. Willowstar remained in the back as he sent his forces forward, watching from behind. His eyes were fixed on the black she-cat at the head of DarkClan's forces, a she-cat he had heard much about. Willowstar's eyes narrowed; Lostheart, the deputy of DarkClan and one of Sunstar's daughters was leading the group. Willowstar scraped his claws against the earth as his own cats continued to fly past him; Sunstar's kits would die.

Darkpelt let out a ferocious battle cry as the two groups of cats met at the center of the field, clashing together in a violent exchange of teeth and claws. The starry pelts of DarkClan cats wove through the crowd and latched onto enemy warriors, engaging them in battle.

Lostheart attacked the nearest cat she could, tackling them to the ground as the two continued to fight for the upper hand. Lostheart kicked the she-cat off of her using her hindlegs and turned to face them; Lostheart could tell the she-cat was from OceanClan based on the wavy pattern of her pelt. The she-cat let out a furious yowl as she lashed out at Lostheart, but Lostheart was far quicker than she and avoided the attack easily, countering with a sharp slash across the OceanClan cat's shoulder. The she-cat howled in pain at the now bleeding claw marks on her shoulder, but before Lostheart could follow up with another attack, another enemy warrior suddenly leapt at her from behind.

Diverting her attention from the OceanClan she-cat, Lostheart flew back as she rounded on her new attacker. In no more than five powerful blows, she had sent the tabby tom flying as the pelts of both ordinary and translucent cats battled around her.

Unbeknownst to Lostheart, Willowstar had located her in the crowd and was already moving through the fighting cats around them as he moved closer. His eyes were narrowed in rage as he walked briskly through the crowd, eyes locked on his target. From his side, a StarClan cat leapt at him in an attempt to catch the great tom off guard.

Willowstar's didn't even look at the cat as he caught them with the grip of one of his claws; the cat struggled as Willowstar pulled them to the ground, but they were unable to overpower the tom and in seconds Willowstar had dug his claws into their throat as he tossed them aside, never slowing his pace as he went.

The pale form of the StarClan cat faded away and a single bright light rose from where the body had previously lain before it too faded from sight.

Willowstar growled darkly as he tore cats from his path, both StarClan warriors and his own warriors in his path to reach the black she-cat ahead. Once he took care of Lostheart, he would move onto the blind one as well.

* * *

Raggedear wound through the cats with Thistleprick by his side as the two toms struck their blows, working in tandem to take down as many enemy warriors as possible. Together, no one could stop them. Thistleprick smirked cockily as they sent another tom running back across the field as he and Raggedear turned to face their new attackers.

"Well, if it isn't DarkClan's filthy little pick-ups. I would have thought you guys would have been intelligent enough to leave once all this started."

Raggedear and Thistleprick met Eagleclaw's golden eyes as he approached with Nettlewhisker and Leaftail. The she-cat's green eyes were locked furiously with Raggedear's as she remembered how the tom had humiliated her in their own camp.

"Says the one who isn't even a real TreeClan cat." Thistleprick mused, "I think there's a word for that, isn't there Raggedear?"

Raggedear didn't join in with his brother's games and immediately prepared himself to attack the trio; Thistleprick caught his signal, recognizing the position they so often used and dashed to the side around the group. Eagleclaw immediately shot after Thistleprick while Leaftail attempted to tackle Raggedear.

The mottled tom in question avoided her claws easily and wound around the group in the direction opposite his brother. Nettlewhisker stood between the two toms looking back and forth between them, unsure of what to do.

"Now!" Raggedear meowed.

Thistleprick's violet eyes snapped up as he and Raggedear dashed forward toward Nettlewhisker, causing both Leaftail and Eagleclaw to turn tail and immediately try to race back to help the tom. The two cats skidded to a halt, however, when Raggedear and Thistleprick dashed right past Nettlewhisker at the last second and ran toward them side-by-side.

Raggedear leapt into the air, twisting himself forward at the last second to perform the signature move he was known for. Eagleclaw cried out in pain as the tom's jaws came to his shoulder, twisting as he went. Thistleprick moved to follow up behind his brother and leapt onto Leaftail while the she-cat was shortly distracted by Raggedear's attack.

Leaftail hissed and spat in rage as she wrestled with the calico warrior. Raggedear, however, was engaged in a fast-paced fight with Eagleclaw as the golden-eyed tabby swung at him. "I'll kill you for what you've done!" he jeered, clearly referring to Raggedear's defeat of both Pineneedle and his sister. "Rogues don't deserve a spot in the clans!"

Raggedear dodged out of the way as a well aimed slash at his throat whizzed past him and he countered with a sharp blow to the other's underbelly. "We may only be rogues in your eyes, but unlike you, we would never desert DarkClan!" he hissed, pinning the other beneath him.

Eagleclaw spat in rage as he twisted beneath Raggedear's claws and met the mottled warrior sharp, yellow eyes. "You think they care about you?! Just wait, they'll turn on you, you'll see! This forest-"

Eagleclaw's yowls were silenced as Raggedear delivered a powerful blow to the tom's head, knocking him unconscious. He would not kill a cat is he could help it, a vow Raggedear had made to himself since living in twolegplace.

Now that Eagleclaw was taken care of, Raggedear turned back to find Thistleprick, eyes suddenly widening as he saw a large TreeClan tom racing at his brother from behind.

"Thistleprick, watch out!"

Thistleprick turned questioningly, violet eyes widening as the tom leapt toward him. Leaftail managed to scramble away in the short, few seconds Thistleprick was distracted and quickly staggered back to her clanmates.

"Thistleprick!" Raggedear yowled, running forward.

Raggedear stopped sharply as a dark shape suddenly appeared from the crowd, leaping into the air and tackling the large tom to the ground before delivering a sharp blow to their neck. Raggedear stood frozen in place, feeling as if his heart had nearly stopped. "Now I understand why Raggedear always has to babysit you." Darkpelt meowed to Thislteprick, stepping off the body of the warrior.

Thistleprick's frozen expression lit up suddenly as the tom straightened up to his full height, a grin plastered across his face. Darkpelt snorted and turned away from the two brothers, leaping back into the fray of battle.

* * *

Lostheart had managed to send another cat running and was about to attack a nearby TreeClan warrior that was battling one of their ancestors when she stopped to take a quick look at how the battle was progressing. Right now it seemed like an even fight as cats continued to fight around her, but she knew that in order to win, they needed to defeat Willowstar.

Lostheart's scanned over the crowd, looking for any sign of the monstrous tom, but she could find none. As usual, Willowstar always seemed to disappear during a fight. Lostheart was about to turn back to the battle herself, but she froze as her eyes suddenly locked onto a large shape moving across the way.

Mismatched eyes narrowed as Lostheart laid eyes on Willowstar's dark form as he vanished into the line of DarkClan trees across the field. Taking a few quick glances around her, Lostheart hurriedly made her way across the battle ground in pursuit, dodging the fighting bodies of cats around her. She managed to come to the line of trees at the edge of DarkClan's territory and paused before entering the darkness of the forest, looking back to the cats fighting in the grassy plain. This fighting needed to end.

* * *

Greysight finished off the two toms she was currently battling with two quick blows to their forelegs, causing them to collapse at her paws. She had sensed Lostheart's shift in movement, and was even more curious as she felt the she-cat moving toward the forest after Willowstar. What was Lostheart doing?

Greysight hurriedly moved to follow the she-cat's pawsteps and was about to go in after her when two cats suddenly moved in front of her, blocking the way. Greysight's eyes narrowed as she recognized the scent and forms of the two cats.

"I am sorry, but we cannot allow you to go past here." Morningstar meowed with Brisingstar by her side. "Willowstar has ordered that no cat may escape."

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**SO APPARENTLLLYYY something like this happened in the last warrior book or something (I haven't read it) SO LET ME JUST SAY I TOTALLY HAD THIS IDEA FIRST xD goshdarnit Seriously, had it for about six years now, just never managed to write the books out as I am doing now. You can imagine my displeasure when I heard that they had done it as well. This chapter was hard to write, but I have a feeling all these last ones will be.**

**-Lost**

**Inspiring Song: Return of the Lion- Chronicles of Narnia Prince Caspian**

**P.S I uploaded a new speedpaint so if you're interested you can check that out.**

**Review if you like, I always enjoy reading your thoughts and seeing what you've caught on to ;) Or suspicions you have**


	56. Chapter 56: A New Promise

Lostheart stepped calmly into the darkness of the forest, but she found no sign of Willowstar. Sniffing lightly for any faint traces of his scent, Lostheart moved forward into the familiar dark brush of her territory. Only now, everything suddenly seemed unfamiliar to her amongst the rotting trees and sharp brambles. She remained on high alert, ears perked for even the slightest sound of another cat.

Lostheart could almost feel her legs shaking from anxiety, but as she looked to her paws, they were as stationary and stable as ever. Something about this situation bothered her, not knowing where the tom was. Still, Lostheart continued on at a hunter's crouch, red eye flickering to and fro as she took in every tiny detail of her surroundings.

Her ear twitched and she narrowed her eyes slightly as she caught sight of a lightly swaying bush up ahead that looked as if someone might have pushed past it earlier. Lostheart padded on in the eerie silence with a light ringing in her ears; a silence so deep that she could even hear it herself. The storm overhead had darkened their already gloomy territory considerably, but Lostheart's eyes were suited to the darkness.

She padded quietly around the bend of the bush, and as she did so, she was able to pick up on even more of the tom's scent from earlier. _'So he has gone this way...'_

A small rustle from above her made Lostheart's blood run cold as her eyes snapped up to find the source of the noise. The fur on her neck slowly began to lie flat as she realized it was only a bird. A single crow sat perched on a branch high up above and was watching her with curious beady eyes as it turned it's head slightly.

Lostheart shook herself slightly and continued on her trail in pursuit of the TreeClan leader as she stepped deeper into DarkClan territory and willed herself to move forward; as long as she could get Willowstar to admit defeat was all that mattered.

* * *

"You think I would actually try to escape?" Greysight growled. "I've been waiting for this battle for moons, I'm not afraid of any of you!"

Morningstar met the sightless eyes of the blind she-cat and let out a weary breath, "We don't want to fight you, Greysight."

Brisingstar said nothing from behind her; the tom's eyes were still as dull as they were when he had watched Sunstar's death. Greysight clenched her teeth tightly together and dipped down into a fighting position, claws unsheathed.

"Then why are you?! Fight with us, we can defeat Willowstar if we work together! If not, then you're just cowards!" Greysight yowled.

Brisingstar slowly began to fade back into reality as his eyes narrowed at the blind she-cat in front of him who had the audacity to question his bravery. "You know nothing of courage!" he growled lowly, "Or anything of what it means to be a leader, Greysight of DarkClan. You think it is so simple to turn against Willowstar?! Don't you see what he's done, what's become of us?! We tried to protect our clans, we did with our lives; you have no idea the pain we've suffered for their protection!"

Greysight hissed back at the OceanClan leader as her rage began to build. "Oh? And what did you do to stop him; nothing! You would have rather let DarkClan be destroyed than keep peace in the forest, or even bothering to help your friend! Get out of my way!" she growled.

"Greysight..." Morningstar meowed quietly. "I'm sorry, but Brisingstar and I have no choice, we have to do what's best for our clan... Willowstar, he told us that if we complied and let him take one of our lives, he would leave our clans alone, but he lied and we were foolish to believe him...we only wanted to keep our clans safe. Now, in order to stop him from stealing the lives of our clanmates, innocent kits and warriors, we must aid him in whatever way we can." The she-cat closed her eyes and dipped her head for a short moment. "I'm sorry, Greysight."

Greysight darted to the side as she felt the shift of Morningstar's weight and immediately moved to flank the two leaders from the side. She knew there would be no getting around them both; fighting two leaders seemed impossible to most, but she knew she could do it. If not, then all her training all these moons had been for nothing! She couldn't let Willowstar get away, and she couldn't allow Lostheart to get hurt.

She felt Morningstar's pawsteps as the spotted she-cat pelted after her while Brisingstar slid to block her path once more. Greysight gritted her teeth and flipped her body around, skidding slightly as she did, but she was able to keep her balance through the use of her tail. Morningstar was taken aback by Greysight's sudden shift in movement and was unable to stop herself as she neared the she-cat. Morningstar propelled herself off the ground, instantly disappearing from Greysight's sense of touch; however, the blind she-cat could still hear and smell her. All it took was focus.

She knew from their pawsteps that the two leaders had both been weakened considerably by Willowstar, but she wouldn't underestimate them, especially being as experienced as they were.

As she felt the small rush of wind at Morningstar's approach, and the faint touch of her whiskers, Greysight fell onto her back and kicked the she-cat away with her hind legs. Once Morningstar was pushed back, Brisingstar instantly moved in on Greysight in an attempt to get her while she lied vulnerable. The black she-cat rolled to the side just in time to avoid his claws and promptly regained her footing, rising up to four legs once more.

Morningstar shook the dirt from her pelt as she scrabbled off the ground while Brisingstar lashed out at Greysight, who dodged his attacks with ease. The she-cat was fast, and no matter what he did, she always seemed to avoid him, even if by only an inch. Greysight could feel Morningstar running at her from behind again, but she was too busy dodging Brisingstar's rapid blows to turn back to the she-cat.

Greysight's heart beat rapidly as Morningstar was no more than a tail length away. and in her short moment of adrenaline, Greysight leapt onto Brisingstar; latching into the tom with her claws as she bit into his shoulder. Just as she had hoped, the tom twirled around in an effort to shake her off, successfully pulling her away from Morningstar's well aimed slashes.

Morningstar and Brisingstar were both very formidable warriors to be sure, but in their currently weakened state and lack of synch, their attacks were often sporadic and did not match with each other. It made sense considering the two leaders were from separate clans and had probably never worked together in a battle in their lives; each clan had their own unique battle style, and it just so happened that when she was an apprentice, DarkClan had focused on fighting multiple opponents at once.

Greysight winced as Brisingstar slammed his body against the earth in an attempt to crush her beneath him, but she would not release her grip; despite the throbbing pain in her head, she knew she couldn't lose this fight.

Greysight wrestled with Brisingstar as the two tore through the grass, and Greysight slowly began to grow more anxious as the tom began to overpower her. Normally, she focused on defense and keeping away from her enemies' paws, fitting in attacks here and there when she could. Brisingstar was much larger than the already rather petite she-cat, and despite her talent and unusual strength for a cat of her stature and disability, Greysight was beginning to fall victim to the OceanClan leader's strength. She hadn't expected him to have this much strength left, a misjudgment that was proving to be a major mistake.

Morningstar remained to the side as the two fought, but when she saw her opportunity when Greysight was held still, she leapt forward to attack the she-cat; but her paws had barely scraped the blind cat's pelt when she was suddenly slammed into from the side. Morningstar fell back onto the earth with a dull thump, her head spinning from her awkward landing from the unexpected attack.

While Morningstar was down, the cat rushed over to Greysight, pushing her and Brisingstar as far away from each other as she could in one quick move, shoving herself between them. Greysight instantly leapt to her paws, panting as she turned to her savior.

"You looked like you needed some help." Moonfur meowed.

The pale she-cat quickly glanced over to Morningstar, but the LightClan leader had yet to move. She was awake, yes, but she could not find the energy to pull herself up. Instead, the frail she-cat remained on the ground, eyes looking dully up at the sky. Willowstar could hardly prove she hadn't tried.

This left Greysight and Moonfur turning to face Brisingstar. The tom stood a few tail lengths away from them, panting as a few trickles of blood fell from the scratches Greysight had managed to inflict. The tom's bright, blue eyes darted to Moonfur and Greysight before he tiredly moved into a fighter's crouch, and the she-cats did the same.

* * *

Lostheart came upon a small clearing formed by the dying trees around her as she followed after Willowstar's scent. Carefully, she padded to the center of the clearing, looking around warily; the scent stopped here.

Lostheart's eyes narrowed in confusion as she turned to look around her, but the forest was completely silent. There was a large rotted tree just ahead that caught her attention; most of it's bark had already fallen off, but the tree remained standing firm, roots deeply embedded into the earth. She squinted slightly; there was something over there...

Lostheart slowly approached the base of the tree, and as she came upon it, she noticed the small scrape of a claw against the tree's roots. It was a small scratch, as if a cat had barely nicked it, but it was still there nonetheless.

Willowstar must have moved past this way she realized, but where was the tom going? Nothing about the pattern of his trail made any sense; they were practically in the most useless, decaying section of DarkClan's territory. Was the leader really trying to hide here while he let his forces take care of his work for him? Lostheart didn't think it was very likely, and she frowned a bit at the thought; she would just have to retrace her pawsteps- and very carefully too, she didn't want Willowstar to be alerted to her presence.

Lostheart's eyes flickered as she prepared to turn around and caught sight of the shadow of the tree suddenly moving behind her, and before she realized it, a large shadow had come over her from behind. In the split second she turned, all Lostheart could see was the flash of Willowstar's claws as the tom's paw came crashing down towards her.

A sickening crack resonated around the clearing, and Lostheart's eyes widened in shock. Willowstar's attack had struck, but before he was able to touch her, a blurred shape had flown out from the trees and leapt in front of Willowstar, blocking the attack.

Lostheart stood in frozen shock as the world slowed around her and she met large, brown eyes before Willowstar's claw came crashing down onto the tom's back, forcing him to the ground with a snap. The sudden exchange left Lostheart stumbling back against the trunk of the tree behind her, and she gasped in shock as a large amount of branches and debris came tumbling down from the rotting canopy above.

Willowstar's eyes darted around the clearing and narrowed in anger at having missed, but as his eyes fell on the pile of fallen branches, he smirked to himself and promptly darted away; disappearing into the forest once more.

* * *

Lostheart's eyes were clenched tightly shut from beneath the pile of sticks, but with a heave of determination, she pushed the branches from her back, panting as her eyes scanned over the fallen wood and leaves. Her eyes widened as she caught sight of the familiar silver figure she was searching for, and she quickly rushed to the tom's side, pushing away the sticks and debris that covered his body.

Blood ran from the corners of Browneyes's mouth as his eyes moved to look up at the black she-cat above him.

"Browneyes..." Lostheart managed, voice quivering at the sight before her and the blood that now stained the earth. "You'll be okay, we have to get you to Roseclaw." she meowed hurriedly, trying to ignore the sharp scent of blood burning in her nostrils. She moved to try and pull the tom up, but stopped as Browneyes let out a sharp yowl of pain.

"-Don't!"

Lostheart let the tom fall back against the ground; his head hit the earth with a small thump and his brow furrowed slightly as the pain began to fade away again, leaving him numb. He couldn't feel his legs...

"Lostheart, my body is broken." he meowed, "I can't move..."

Lostheart stood speechless above him, and she felt her eyes burn as the sharp crack from before resonated in her mind...his spine was broken. Browneyes blinked tiredly as he met Lostheart's eyes and the small trail of tears that were now beginning to fall from them.

"Why..." she meowed. "Why would you do that?!" The tears slowly rolled off her pelt as the she-cat's body trembled lightly.

"I..." Browneyes's gaze remained focused on the trees above for a moment before he met Lostheart's eerie mismatched gaze with a small, pained grin. "I didn't want you to get hurt..." he meowed.

_A pair of cats sat side-by-side at the edge of a grassy cliff, watching the sunset in silence as light wind rustled the swaying grass around them."Why?" _

_Ivyfoot blinked not completely understanding what the young she-cat meant, but even so, he gave her his full attention. Lostpaw met Ivyfoot's gaze, and the tom could see the clear confusion in her bright red eye._

_"Why did you do that? Leap in front of Cherrynose...now you're hurt." Lostpaw meowed quietly, looking down at Ivyfoot's injured foreleg that he had now lifted off the ground slightly in order to lessen the pain and the pressure on his injury._

_Ivyfoot smiled lightly and stared off into the orange-toned sky above, watching the setting sun as it descended into the horizon, trailing a wave of bright colors behind it._

_"Because I love her." he meowed._

_Lostpaw blinked up at her mentor, but said nothing as the tom continued on, his green eyes flickering to the side at Lostpaw before he smiled and returned his gaze to the sky._

_"When someone loves you, your life is more important to them than their own. As long as you're safe is all that matters."_

No one had ever done something like this for her before, and she had never believed anyone would. It made her feel a great pain in her chest. "You shouldn't have, you didn't have to-"

"I wanted to." Browneyes meowed, moving his head slightly. The tom's body lay limp against the earth, broken and bruised. "It's the least I could do." he muttered quietly, voice fading. Lostheart clenched her eyes tightly shut; this was all her fault.

"I always looked up to you."

Lostheart was silent, and slowly she reopened her eyes, revealing a new sort of confusion trapped within her gaze. Browneyes's warm gaze met her own and he gave a wry sort of smile as his vision drifted to the dark canopy above.

"You were always alone by yourself, and you always looked so sad. But my mother told me that I wasn't allowed to talk to you; I could never understand why...but I listened to her. I shouldn't have- I should have talked to you. But I was afraid..." he said, trailing off.

"I was afraid that if I did, the clan would get mad at me; you were all alone, and I did nothing."

Lostheart could see that speaking was only causing Browneyes to feel more pain, and she shook her head in a motion to let him know that he didn't have to say any more. "Its okay, you never had to do anything."

"No, its not okay." Browneyes breathed. "I tried to approach you so many times, but I never knew what to say. We had so much common, and there were so many things I could have said...You always worked so hard, and even with everyone against you, you never gave up." Browneyes let out a light chuckle, his breathe wheezing slightly. "I've never been that special- an average tom at most, but more than anything, I wanted to see you smile again. Like you did when you were a kit."

"I always thought you had the prettiest smile you know." Browneyes managed to smile softly to himself before his eyes fell slightly, dark rings already forming under his gaze. "Lostheart, could you do something for me?"

Lostheart blinked away the tears in her eyes as she listened closely to the silver tom's words. "What is it?"

"Darkpelt...please look after him. I promised our mother that I would always be there for him, but now I don't think I'll have that chance. He's not a bad tom..."

Browneyes paused for a moment. "I promised that we would always have each other as brothers... I've already seen him become so much happier since we were apprentices, and it makes me feel happy." Just as he spoke, the corners of his mouth quirked upward slightly, and a truly content look overcame the tom's expression.

Browneyes's eyes suddenly clenched in pain as he let out a thick cough that shook his body, spattering a small bit of blood onto his pelt.

"Browneyes!" Lostheart moved to catch the tom and kept him from falling back onto the hard earth with too much force. "Don't say things like that, you're going to be okay." Lostheart managed, her voice shaking.

Clouded brown eyes slowly re-opened, revealing dark rings of tiredness under the silver tom's gaze as he watched the small crystalline droplets beginning to fall from her unusual gaze. "Lostheart...don't cry." he whispered tiredly. "I'm happy...I was able to do something...its okay..."

Lostheart watched as Browneyes's eyes fluttered closed, and his face twitched lightly. The tom's breath faded as his head finally tilted forward and the warmth left his dull, brown gaze. Lostheart's eyes widened and she froze completely, the fur on her neck suddenly becoming stiff. For a moment, she sat there in silence. There was no sound from the forest around her, or any watching crows; it was just her.

Lostheart let out a shaky breath and took a few steps back from the tom's unmoving body after a moment; she couldn't-

Browneyes couldn't be dead, he was a part of their family. Lostheart's claws dug into the ground in anger; Willowstar had killed him...And worst of all, Browneyes had done it to protect her. Lostheart couldn't stop the tears from rolling down her scarred face; no one was supposed to die, especially for her!

Before the she-cat even had a chance to react, Willowstar leapt out unexpectedly from the brush and rammed himself forward into her. Lostheart was sent flying back into the large, rotting tree nearby, and she felt her heart stop as the wood and ground disappeared rapidly from behind and beneath her as she fell into a dark hole. The small light filtering in from her entrance above was all she saw before the world went black.

* * *

**Inspirational** **Music: Camellia- Soul Eater OST**


	57. Chapter 57: Point of Breaking

_'Where am I?'_

Lostheart groggily opened her eyes, instantly realizing that she was in a very dark, stuffy place. It took her a few seconds to adjust to the newfound darkness and to pull her sore body up as she remembered just where it was that she was located.

Lostheart squinted and craned her neck back to look up to the opening she knew had to be somewhere above, and sure enough, she could see a faint light where air filtered down into the hole. It was a few feet up from where she currently stood, but with a well aimed leap, she might be able to pull herself out and back into the forest.

The tree she had fallen back on had indeed been deeply rotted, even more so than she had originally suspected. The wood had been soft and hollow, and with the added force of her weight, she had smashed right through it and into the small enclave beneath. As she moved toward the wall of dirt, she could see the roots of the tree winding all around and above her.

A new thought suddenly struck the she-cat; how long had she been asleep? The thought left the black she-cat's stomach churning anxiously; Willowstar had gotten away, and Browneyes... Lostheart narrowed her eyes in determination at the opening above as she wiggled her haunches and prepared to leap. She needed to return to the fields as fast as possible, her clanmates could be in trouble! She couldn't let anyone else get hurt, not only for herself, but for Browneyes. His death would not be in vain; Willowstar had taken so many lives already, and now he had killed two of her clanmates. This trend would not continue, she would not allow it to continue if she could help it.

Lostheart sprung off the hard earth in a mighty leap with claws outstretched as she rocketed toward the hole above. Her claws caught the edge of the ground and she promptly pulled herself up through the opening with a mighty heave, flinching as the broken bark around the hole scraped against her spine.

Shaking off the dust from her pelt, Lostheart looked around the familiar clearing; it was still dark, that was a good sign. The black she-cat sniffed the air warily, but caught no sign of any other cats or fresh scents around her. Scattered branches from earlier lay scattered around the base of the poor, rotted tree; but Lostheart turned away from the rubble, not wanting to bear the sight of her clanmate's lifeless body a second time. Browneyes would get a proper burial later, but there was no time to do so now, not when TreeClan and DarkClan were still locked in battle. Lostheart mentally prepared herself and dashed off into the forest on her path back to the fields once more, ignoring the pain in her sore limbs. Branches whipped at her face, and thorns tore at her pelt, but she continued on nonetheless, winding her way past and around the obstacles as she ran back towards the battle.

* * *

Raggedear let out a tired breath as he watched a pair of TreeClan apprentices run back across the field in defeat. The battle raged on around him; it couldn't even be seen for certain which side was winning. Both groups appeared to stand on even ground, and despite their determination, DarkClan didn't seem to be getting anywhere. The StarClan cats' pelts flashed all around him, and even though he had never voiced his thoughts out loud, Raggedear had never truly believed in the idea. Seeing them now was a shock, but he could not let his mind dwell on these things in lieu of what was currently happening in the forest. Where he and Thistleprick grew up, there was no afterlife or guidance from the stars above, there had only been fighting and death.

Raggedear rapidly flung himself to the side as a pair of fighting cats tumbled past him, one of which he recognized as a DarkClan cat by their starry pelt. This was no time to get distracted by the past, it didn't matter anymore.

Yellow eyes flickered toward the grass off to the farthest side as Raggedear caught sight of Moonfur's pale, gray pelt. She and Greysight had moved closer to the fighting now as the two she-cats fought against Brisingstar. They worked in tandem to lash out and dodge the OceanClan leaders blows, and from what he saw, they were doing just fine. OceanClan and LightClan were not the threat here, and he knew their leaders and cats were weak in both body and spirit; TreeClan was the clan they needed to worry about.

He caught sight of Darkpelt nearby just as the tom delivered a powerful blow to his opponent's jaw before another one of DarkClan's ancestors quickly moved to take over. Raggedear darted toward the familiar flecked tom to fight by his side, knowing two heads were better than one, especially now that there were enemies surrounding the white tom.

It wasn't until he raced over that he caught sight of Thistleprick crouched beside Darkpelt. His brother had some serious wounds, but his eyes were lit up and showed no sign of fear or regret. Darkpelt acknowledged Raggedear with a flick of his tail as midnight blue eyes traveled over the TreeClan cats crouched across from them, sizing them up.

Raggedear blinked in surprise when the TreeClan warriors suddenly began to back away, and he noticed that the entirety of TreeClan had begun to do so as well to the best of their ability. The three toms rose from their fighting positions as they observed their opponents' movements with suspicion and surprise. Were they retreating?

The StarClan cats moved to gather around them just as TreeClan began forming together again, and to their surprise, the TreeClan warriors began to part, forming a small opening amongst their ranks. Eyes narrowed as Willowstar's large form could be seen making his way up through the warriors, but as he came closer, Raggedear realized the tom was not alone.

Yellow eyes widened in shock as Raggedear looked down the line of newly parted cats just as Willowstar stepped forward and dropped the body of a cat to the ground.

* * *

Greysight hissed as she bit down onto Brisingstar's hindleg while Moonfur attacked him head on. The patterned brown tom growled ferociously and managed to kick Greysight away. He looked as if he was going to strike again, but from behind them, a yowl sounded from TreeClan's lines, instantly causing the OceanClan's leader's- as well as Greysight and Moonfur's- ears to perk.

Moonfur let out a sound of surprise as Brisingstar suddenly shoved past her and bolted back across the field, disappearing amongst the throng of fighting warriors. Greysight felt the entirety of TreeClan beginning to shift in movement, and immediately her eyes narrowed. She turned to Moonfur and nodded as the two she-cats moved inward back to where their clanmates stood.

Moonfur blinked in confusion as Darkpelt, Raggedear, and Thistleprick became visible amongst the starry, translucent cats; but each tom stood unmoving in place, eyes staring ahead. Moonfur felt a wave of fear wash over her, and she quickly dashed forward to their side with Greysight following behind her. Her paws skidding to a halt as she met them and promptly turned to see what was happening that had caught their attention.

All the previous glint in Thistleprick's eyes had long since vanished as he slowly turned to look at Darkpelt beside him. Darkpelt made no motion to show that Thistleprick was even there as he stood unmoving in the swaying grass, eyes fixed ahead of him.

Willowstar's face broke out into a toothy grin as the tom met the eyes of the DarkClan cats, and Moonfur felt her heart tighten at the sight ahead of her.

Willowstar was sitting on the body of a cat...

"Browneyes!" Goldenpaw screamed in anguish. The small she-cat made an attempt to dash across the field, but was promptly held back by a StarClan cat. Her screams chilled the pelts of her clanmates as hisses and angry yowls erupted from their group.

Raggedear felt his heart drop as a large wave pain of washed over him at the sight of Browneyes's lifeless body. He could feel his pelt burning up, and the rage that gripped at his claws, but he held it back along with the warm tears threatening to build up in his eyes from the anger.

_'Browneyes!' _

The tom had always been so kind... Raggedear's thoughts traveled back to the day he and the three other toms played that ridiculous training game, and how he and the silver tom had worked together and formed a friendship- a bond. It felt as if a deep hole was blown through his heart as he now viewed Browneyes's lifeless body, and he too had to hold himself back from rushing forward to attack the vile tom that now sat atop his corpse with such satisfaction, amusement glistening in his eyes.

Moonfur stiffened beside him and Greysight, shock written all over her face. The blind she-cat beside her immediately felt a wave of sadness and fear wash over her as she realized whose body it was. Greysight unsheathed her claws as a newfound fury overcame her when she realized Willowstar sitting on top of Browneyes; and even more so because there was no sign of Lostheart. Immediately, Greysight was able to put two and two together, and sharp realization and denial took over her in her anger.

Willowstar laughed at the sight of the DarkClan cats. "You see." Willowstar bellowed. "This is what happens to cats who think they can stop me! Your clanmate here tried to get in the way, and look what has become of him! A truly pathetic effort, really." he snorted. Willowstar smirked to himself as he moved to rest his claws at the top of Browneyes's head, drumming them lightly above the tom's closed gaze. "Is this really the best DarkClan has to offer?" he drawled. "A pity-"

"Don't touch him!"

Willowstar's ear twitched at the sound of the furious roar, and slowly, he rolled his eyes upward to meet the voice of the enraged cat who had dared call out to him. Across the small distance between the two clans, he met the eyes of a large flecked tom who had suddenly stepped forward, causing a smirk to make it's way across the TreeClan's leader's bloodied face.

"Hm?"

Darkpelt's body shuddered dangerously as the tom clenched his teeth together and dark eyes locked on to those of flashing yellow; and in his despair and anger, it was not hard to see the dull sheen that had come over the tom's gaze and begun to form in the corner of his eyes.

"Where's Lostheart?" Greysight screeched after him. "What have you done to her?!"

At the mention of the black she-cat's name, her clanmates glanced around fearfully, and their pelts began to prickle even more, they hadn't even noticed the she-cat's absence. Darkpelt remained unmoving from where he stood at the front of the warriors, but only an enormous amount anger could be seen in the depths of his furious gaze.

"She has been taken care of."

* * *

Lostheart leapt through the opening of the trees and landed gracefully in the grassy field beyond her; not far from where she stood, she could see the two groups of fighting warriors moving away from each other. The action itself confused and worried her, but it did not look like DarkClan was defeated just yet. She ran across the way to where the two groups stood at a face off, but as she neared, she knew something was wrong.

Her clanmates stood at the front of their ancestors, but their eyes were locked forward. Without stopping, Lostheart ran up to their side to join them. Her actions caused an immediate reaction throughout the two crowds, and every cat had turned to look at her in shock. Lostheart didn't pay them much mind, and instead, chose to look beyond Darkpelt and at Willowstar ahead of her. Mismatched eyes widened as she laid eyes on the silver body Willowstar sat on. Anger immediately fueled her body, but she also felt a great wave of pain as her gaze flickered to Darkpelt.

Willowstar appeared baffled by her appearance for a second, but he regained himself easily, eyes narrowing in the process. "Well," he began, "It appears that Sunstar's daughter has somehow managed to survive yet again."

"I said, get off him!" Darkpelt growled ferociously, grabbing Willowstar's attention. The TreeClan leader merely smirked as he watched the tom's growing anger and let his gaze flicker between the three cats at the front of the group.

Willowstar let his eyes drift shut for a moment, and the DarkClan cats watched as his face twitched slightly, and the tom's body began to show signs of anger. In a second, yellow orbs had flashed open again, pupils left to narrow slits.

"Again!" he hissed, claws flashing out from dark paws. "If you want something done right, nine out of ten times you have to do it yourself! My deputy failed in his mission to eliminate Sunstar's spawn, but he was defeated by nothing more than a small, blind she-cat! And now," Willowstar laughed, turning to Darkpelt, "If my eyes do not deceive me, its none other than the son of Shadestar himself, and if I am not mistaken, Sunstar's apprentice. Oh yes, many clans are familiar with your name Darkpelt, one of DarkClan's most renowned cats correct?"

Willowstar grinned at Darkpelt's enraged expression and he gazed down at the cat he sat on, "Oh? Was this cat precious to you?" he drawled, looking boringly down at Browneyes. His gaze did not last long as he ignored Darkpelt and focused on the two she-cats whose deaths had now become his goal.

"You."

Willowstar's ear twitched as Darkpelt's strangled voice suddenly spoke up, as if the tom was holding himself back. "You murdered my father, you are responsible for the death of my mother, you murdered my leader and my mentor; you've taken everything from me and now," Darkpelt growled, anger shaking his body, "You've killed my brother!" Midnight blue eyes flashed open as Darkpelt met Willowstar's gaze evenly without any trace of fear. "I swear to StarClan that I will destroy you!" he yowled, stepping forward.

"Get off of him!" Darkpelt suddenly rushed forward toward the great tom, his movements bringing about a great spark amongst the warriors as once again the two sides leapt forward to lock against each other in battle as Willowstar vanished amongst his cats.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**It feels like forever since I updated, but I was extremely busy and had this giant paper to write. I'm glad I managed to get this one up though, and I hope people are still reading. Let's finish this book up shall we? **

**This Chapter was inspired greatly by the music: Scene of A Disaster- Naruto Shippuden OST**

**Lost**


	58. Chapter 58: Final

DarkClan had little time to respond as Darkpelt's attack lit up a spark on the battlefield, causing both TreeClan warriors and DarkClan warriors alike to leap ferociously at one another for a final brawl. Lostheart was able to duck away from an attacking TreeClan warrior only to look up moments later as Darkpelt's pale, flecked form vanished into the crowd of cats.

She had to find him or Willowstar before the two found each other; Darkpelt's judgment was clouded by rage, and Lostheart knew that Willowstar was baiting them. She too couldn't completely suppress her anger toward the TreeClan leader; there was so much he had done, horrible things. To drag Browneyes's dead body all the way out to the field just to take pleasure in seeing their pain- it was a cruel, cold-hearted display that mocked Browneyes's life and sacrifice.

Lostheart's single red eye flickered over the blurred crowd of cats, searching for any sign of the evasive TreeClan leader. She had to stop in her attempt, however, as another cat moved to try and attack her, but she was able to evade their claws easily and send a sharp parry to their side. Standing in one spot was too dangerous, and it was impossible to remain uninterrupted in her search; she knew she had to get away from the crowd and find Willowstar. Lostheart turned sharply back in the direction she had last seen Darkpelt run off in and flew through the field as fast as her legs could carry her.

The she-cat was no more than a dark blur as she bolted forward, twisting gracefully around the fighting warriors, even leaping over a pair of cats who had become tangled up in their fight. The storm's wind blew her fur around her, bringing along a dark sense of foreboding as she came to closer to the end of TreeClan's line. Dust from the ground flew up as Lostheart skidded to a halt just as three cats moved to block her path. She didn't bother wasting her time with attempting to fight them and quickly moved to try and evade the cats in order to go around their blockade. However, just as she moved, a large shadow came over her from behind as a TreeClan tom leapt to pin her down.

Lostheart's eyes widened during the split second she had to curve her body out of the way, only narrowly escaping the blow. She swayed a bit in her effort to regain her previous fast pace, refusing to look back at the warriors; she stumbled as she connected with another cat's shoulder, and with a noisy scrabbling, the dark she-cat tripped and collapsed to the ground as warriors continued to fight each other in the crowded area. Dust filled the air around her, making breathing more difficult due to her close proximity with the earth, and breathing deeply, Lostheart managed to stand up just in time. From behind her, a loud growl erupted through the air, and as she turned, her eyes met the sight of a large , spotted, TreeClan tom in the midst of landing on her.

Lostheart was frozen in place, her heart stopping for a split second before a flash of light from the side caught her eye, and the shape of a starry cat rammed into the attacking warrior, pulling them to the ground. Lostheart snapped back into reality during the lightning fast encounter and promptly pushed off the ground and back into a run as she bolted away from the mass of fighting cats.

The battle was left behind her as she entered the empty part of the field, her eyes immediately landing onto the large boulder standing only a few fox-lengths away now, and with a narrowed gaze, she looked up to see the shadowy figure of a large cat standing at it's peak. Sharp, razor-like claws glinted even in the absence of light from where Willowstar stood atop his perch, and were soon greeted by the glint of teeth that formed a crooked smile as he caught sight of the approaching she-cat. The grass swayed lightly in the wind from the storm above, and the distant yowls and screeches of the fighting cats behind Lostheart seemed to become even more muted in the background as she beheld Willowstar's acidic gaze.

Lostheart slowed to a stop a short distance from the stone, meeting Willowstar's eyes impassively with her own mismatched expression, mouth set in an unreadable line; and for a moment, neither cat did anything.

Willowstar let out a small sound of amusement and leapt down from his perch with a loud thud onto the earth below. The ground on which they now stood was harder than before now that they were closer to the gorge, and it soon broke out from the grass into a large, gray expanse of pure stone just ahead.

"Lostheart." Willowstar greeted plainly, eyes glimmering as he focused on the she-cat. They were eyes filled with bloodlust and the desire for revenge, and the tom's eagerness to take her life was all too apparent as the leader seemed not to even attempt hiding his intentions. Lostheart already knew what Willowstar wanted, for her and Greysight to die; and in the process he would go at any lengths necessary, even if that meant killing every cat in DarkClan. Greysight wasn't even Sunstar's kit, yet she had to take the blame along with her when it was truly her existence that put them in danger. Admittedly it could have been argued that Willowstar himself had no true motive or reasoning, and that perhaps the simple act of killing was his driving force. Either way, they had to put a stop to Willowstar's destruction; and not just for DarkClan, but for the entire forest. The TreeClan leader had gone against almost every part of the warrior code, and not just on others, but in his own clan; a clan that, for whatever reason, looked up to him.

Lostheart said nothing in response to his greeting and continued to stare emotionlessly back at the tom, causing him to tilt his head slightly, a grin adorning his face. "Why do you remain silent? Have you nothing to say?" Willowstar moved his eyes to look past her and back toward the cats fighting a good distance away before he refocused his attention back on the black she-cat.

"You've come all by yourself?" he stated, pupils narrowing slightly. Lostheart remained motionless, causing the TreeClan leader's smirk to slowly fall. "Answer me." he growled lowly.

"Yes."

Lostheart's response caused Willowstar to light up once more, face expressing a great deal of amusement; the tom even chuckled as he beheld the lanky she-cat. "You and your clan are all fools." he remarked. "I am the most powerful cat in the world, I hold more lives than any other clan leader to ever live!" The wild fur on Willowstar's back began to bristle and flow in the wind, making the tom appear even more massive and threatening as he stepped forward to growl his final line, muscles twitching in anticipation.

Willowstar let out another laugh, amused by the she-cats seemingly empty words. "You will die, just as your father has died before you. I have taken many lives before Sunstar, and I will continue to do so until DarkClan is extinguished forever. Their lives may be meaningless at present, but in joining with me they gain meaning and give life to a new world! An age of strength and power under my rule!" Willowstar's eyes had lit up as he looked up into the swirling mass of dark clouds above. "No one can stop me! Not any cat, animal, or StarClan itself; I have overcome them all!"

"They never volunteered to die." Lostheart meowed.

Willowstar only laughed and lashed his bushy tail to the side. "Oh, but some of them did you see; TreeClan understands it's destiny, and all know of their role in it." Willow snorted while an arrogant smirk adorned his face. "Brisingstar and Morningstar couldn't bear to see their clanmates slaughtered before them, so they offered themselves up instead; a noble act." he mused. Willowstar paused for a moment eyes moving slightly as if to try and recall a certain memory. "In fact," he continued, "It reminds me of a similar situation long ago when I watched a poor, defenseless apprentice struggling in battle, unable to help their clan, and unable to do anything in their beloved mentor's hour of need."

Willowstar grinned in satisfaction as he watched the black she-cat, noticing the way she suddenly stood more still in the swaying grass, averting her gaze to her paws as she became engulfed by thought.

_Lostpaw's eyes widened as she watched several cats beginning to swarm around Ivyfoot, and watched as a tabby tom also came running at him from the side. She ran forward in a desperate effort to reach the gray tom, knowing she had to help him. _

_Two TreeClan warriors suddenly leapt in front of her, holding her back as she tried to run through them. The cats surrounding her became a blur, and Ivyfoot was quickly lost from sight. Lostpaw struggled desperately against her captors as they held her back while ignoring the sharp scrambling of her claws against their pelts. In one final effort, Lostpaw pushed forward, letting out a loud cry._

_"Ivyfoot!" _

_A sickening splatter pierced the air, and Lostpaw froze as she lay witness to a burst of crimson liquid. With the cats in front of her distracted, Lostpaw came to her senses and pushed her way through them, running to find her mentor. The cats that had previously been blocking her view had now moved out of sight as she ran past them, searching in desperation for Ivyfoot._

_The world around her slowed down, and not a single noise could reach her ears from the muted fighting around her as mismatched eyes fell onto the wounded form of her mentor lying in a pool of blood._

"But do not fear," Willowstar continued, "For his life has gained new meaning. Ivyfoot was a strong warrior, well-known throughout all the clans for his bravery and strength. I couldn't allow him to continue taking down my warriors you see."

Lostheart blinked out of her memory and moved to look back up at the tom, slight confusion written in her normally emotionless face.

Willowstar snorted, "The fools couldn't manage to kill him, so I had the pleasure of handling things myself; its just as I say, if something must be done right, one must do it on their own- Although I can hardly say I minded, Ivyfoot's life has had a great deal of benefit to my own." He chuckled darkly to himself and looked to Lostheart with a new degree of sadism twisted into his jagged grin. "Killing him was almost too easy; it surprises me that he was one of the best DarkClan had to offer, and now look at you. I have kept a close eye on you Lostheart, as well I should; after all, what kind of Uncle would I be if I had not? Yes, everyone spoke of Sunstar's two odd she-kits, but it was just too good to be true that DarkClan had been gifted with such rejects. Scrawny, blind, weak. Pathetic. You could have never saved him." Willowstar meowed. "And now look at you, what you've become! I've made you strong without even meaning to do so! Tell me, Lostheart, how did it feel to tear open the flesh of Ivyfoot's supposed murderer? Was it enjoyable? Did you feel recompensed?" Willowstar questioned eagerly.

"...You killed Ivyfoot?" Lostheart meowed, feeling a sudden burning in her chest that began to eat up her entire being.

"Ivyfoot died just as the rest of DarkClan shall die; he was in the way, and I disposed of him."

Lostheart didn't want to believe it, but it made sense. Ivyfoot could have never been killed by an average warrior, and she had never seen the attack that killed him. All she remembered was seeing Ivyfoot getting attacked by a group of warriors that had come at him from nowhere, and then she had been pushed back and her vision had become obscured by battling warriors. Worse though was her memory of killing the tabby tom she had believed to be Ivyfoot's murderer; the strange sense of anger and darkness she had felt at the time was overwhelming and admittedly quite powerful, but even as she looked back on it now, the event had never made her feel any better. Now as she realized her mistake, Lostheart couldn't help the feeling of self loathing and a deep-seated regret.

"...And Browneyes?" Lostheart meowed, face shadowed.

Willowstar's whiskers twitched for a moment before he seemed to catch on to what she spoke of. "Ah, the silver tom?" At this, he shrugged, curling his lip slightly. "The fool got in my way, and he paid the price- And for what? Nothing, there was nothing gained; such a waste... No DarkClan cat will live, not you and not Greysight or your clanmates. This day will be your last despite the fool's prolonging of the event." Willowstar snarled, his lip curling up to reveal sharp, white teeth.

Small shadows had formed beneath Lostheart's eerie gaze as she watched the TreeClan leader, and her eyes had even fallen slightly as she thought of her clanmates. Ivyfoot, Browneyes, Cherrynose, Sunstar, Blizzardpelt... Had everything they'd done been for nothing? Lostheart's eyes closed shut for a second, causing Willowstar's ears to perk curiously.

No, it wasn't for nothing; it was for them. For DarkClan, they believed that Willowstar could be defeated and that a new generation of DarkClan cats would finally be able to live in peace.

Willowstar's eyes narrowed as the colors of blood red and a clouded, icy blue became visible once more. Lostheart unsheathed her claws as she faced the massive tom almost over twice her size.

They believed Willowstar would be defeated one day, and if she didn't at least try now, then DarkClan would continue living like this forever. The anger burning in her claws and chest was real, but even more so was the feeling of sorrow and regret. There was so much she wished she could fix and do over again, but...

It was true that her life might not have been fair at times, and no one in it had deserved to die; but if none of it had ever happened, then their clan wouldn't have become as close as they were now, and she wouldn't have met Moonfur, Raggedear, or Thistleprick. Her memories of Ivyfoot and Silentshadow, although painful, were precious to her; and she could never think of erasing them or the experiences she had with her clanmates.

Willowstar grinned tightly as his eager claws scraped the stony earth beneath them. "You are alone demon cat; killing me even once is an impossible task! Why bother trying to resist when you know that there is no hope left for DarkClan?!"

"You're wrong, she's not alone!"

Lostheart froze and Willowstar's gaze was promptly redirected to the sound of the new voice just as two cats ran up beside Lostheart. Greysight and Darkpelt stood on either side of the she-cat breathing heavily, and Greysight had now pointed her sightless, dull gaze toward Willowstar with every amount of fury and rage she could muster in blank eyes.

"She's never alone! Something I bet you couldn't say the same for yourself!" she hissed. Darkpelt let out a low growl from where he stood, eyes locked hatefully onto the cat who had single-handedly destroyed his entire family, and Browneyes... Thinking of the way Willowstar had sat so carelessly on his body sent Darkpelt into a blinding rage; in his entire life, he had never felt as much hatred toward another cat as he did with the tom standing in front of him, and today was the day he would finally avenge his family.

Willowstar's yellow eyes flickered between the three cats as the tom took a step back, large tail swaying back and forth as he went. To the DarkClan cats' surprise, the great tom wheeled around and fled, running out into the broad expanse of stone beyond.

Darkpelt immediately bolted forward to give chase, and was promptly followed by Greysight and Lostheart, whose speed allowed them to catch up to him easily. Was Willowstar really going to try and run from them now that they were together? Or did the tom have something else planned? It seemed unlikely that the tom would give up so easily, especially after everything they had been through.

The stone was hard beneath their paws as they ran over it's surface, nearing closer and closer to the figure of Willowstar who had now stopped and was sitting motionless with his striped back toward them only a few fox-lengths away.

Lostheart, Greysight, and Darkpelt stopped a safe distance away from the tom, and watched as thunder struck the air. This place was familiar to Lostheart, and her eyes immediately drifted to the lone tree standing near the edge of the gorge not far from where they stood. They were far from the battle now as they stood alone in the open area, watching Willowstar's billowing form with apprehension, waiting for the tom to make a move.

Slowly, Willowstar turned to face them, face serious and lacking any sign of previous emotion other than a deep-seated anger. Lostheart, Greysight, and Darkpelt moved into their own battle positions, watching the TreeClan leader closely. Lostheart knew that killing Willowstar would be almost impossible, even with the three of them. All they really had to do was make it so that the tom couldn't fight anymore and was forced to surrender. Lostheart knew this wasn't the time to stop and think as she now stood across from the TreeClan leaders, but she couldn't help feeling like there was something important, something she had overlooked. She was grateful for Greysight and Darkpelt's presence; now that they were together, they would surely have a better chance with Greysight's abilities and Darkpelt's strength- Still, Willowstar was massive, bigger than any cat Lostheart had ever laid eyes on- Even bigger than Darkpelt who was only a little over half his size- not to mention the tom's claws and raw strength, and his lives. The TreeClan leader's victory over both Shadestar and Sunstar could not be forgotten, but Lostheart couldn't allow her mind to get the better of her- A cat's claws weren't their only weapon.

Willowstar's claws flashed out as he stood to his full height, a shadow falling ominously over his face as he strode purposefully forward toward the three DarkClan warriors. Lostheart, Greysight, and Darkpelt shot off in three different directions, each moving to surround him.

Darkpelt was the first to attack as he let out a ferocious growl and flung himself at Willowstar with a single paw outstretched to deliver a powerful blow into the leader's side. Greysight and Lostheart saw their chance as Willowstar shifted his attention toward Darkpelt, and Greysight leapt into the air in an effort to grab hold of the TreeClan leader, but she didn't get the chance as Willowstar rammed into Darkpelt, sending the tom hurtling onto his back before he then moved to deliver a powerful blow that knocked Greysight to the ground. Her body ached as she connected with the hard, stone, but she was able to feel Willowstar's movement and knew the tom was about to attack her again. Predicting his attack, Greysight prepared to avoid it, but didn't have to as Lostheart moved past her and dug her teeth and claws into Willowstar's shoulder, stopping the attack short.

Willowstar hissed venomously and immediately moved to throw her off, but Lostheart managed to hold on, even if by only a small thread of chance. She scrabbled to inflict a wound on the TreeClan leader, but her claws became entangled in his fur and she was unable to lay a single claw on him before he moved to crush her beneath him and she had no choice but to let go.

Lostheart leapt back off of the tom as Darkpelt rolled onto his feet and moved to attack Willowstar once more. Her gaze quickly flickered to Greysight whose heavy landing had created a wound on her shoulder, making her flinch as she pulled herself up.

Willowstar's yellow eyes flashed toward Greysight and after sending a short grin in Lostheart and Darkpelt's direction, the tom thundered toward Greysight at an incredible speed, his fur whipping back behind him as he went. Lostheart's eyes widened in fear as she leapt from her position, racing to follow Willowstar, but she was the furthest away. Greysight had to at least feel him coming! But as the tom grew nearer to the she-cat he had tossed away like a piece of fresh kill only moments before, Greysight had yet to fully regain herself and her balance.

Lostheart felt her heart leap in her chest as Darkpelt suddenly slammed into Willowstar from the side, sending himself and the TreeClan leader scrambling on top of the stone, snarling viciously. Taking her opportunity, Lostheart ran to Greysight and helped her to her paws. The she-cat winced, but she curled her lip into a snarl of anger as she turned back toward Willowstar. Lostheart knew it would be smarter for the small she-cat to take it easy, but she also knew that Greysight wasn't one to give up without a fight.

A loud screech instantly caught their attention, causing the two she-cats to re-focus their attention on the fighting toms. Willowstar had his claws sunk deeply into Darkpelt's shoulder and had now pinned the thrashing tom beneath him. Darkpelt's struggles were beginning to slow down; however, and his eyes had begun to droop tiredly, making the two she-cats' hearts stop in horror.

Lostheart was the first to move as she raced toward the two toms with Greysight following behind her. Willowstar paid no attention to the rapidly approaching she-cats and instead had his full intention locked onto Darkpelt as a large grin slowly spread across his face.

_'No you don't!'_

With a violent hiss, Greysight leapt onto Willowstar's back and dug her claws into his skull while Lostheart approached from the front and slashed the tom across the face just as he looked up. The sound that erupted from the tom's body was horrific as he wrenched himself back and tried to throw off the small, black she-cat who was now latched onto his back. Fresh blood began to ooze down Willowstar's face from the blatant new scratch marks, giving the tom a truly ghastly appearance.

Lostheart immediately went to Darkpelt's side, inspecting the damage. The tom let out a low growl and moved to pull himself up. His body was already covered in wounds Lostheart noticed; two in particular looked bad, one on his shoulder and one above his eye looked to be the worst. "Are you okay?" she asked him.

Darkpelt spat onto the stone, staining it with the color of his blood. "I'm fine." he growled, pulling himself to his paws.

* * *

Willowstar let out a growl and rose onto his hind legs, whipping his head around and succeeding in throwing off the blind she-cat. Greysight twisted gracefully in the air and landed back onto the stone, stumbling slightly from her wound. Willowstar's eyes had become crazed slits as he whipped back around to face Darkpelt and Lostheart, but before he could step forward, Greysight slid in front of him, blocking his path with an expression of pure determination. Willowstar looked taken aback for a moment, but his expression slowly changed into that of a humorous nature and the tom let out a chilling laugh as he raised a paw to knock her to the side.

Greysight gritted her teeth as she leapt back just in time to avoid the blow, much to Willowstar's surprise. The tom let out another snarl as he began to chase after her, missing with each attack. Greysight could feel her self-confidence rising inside her as Willowstar's movements became increasingly frustrated and erratic. This was the moment she had been training for her entire life, and now as she danced away from his attacks, Greysight reminded herself of who she truly was. A warrior of DarkClan.

Seeing a gap in his movements, Greysight slid past his paw and lashed out at the tom's foreleg in an attempt to make him stumble. Her efforts, however, were in vain as it did little to move Willowstar and only resulted in putting her in a bad position. Feeling her blood run cold, Greysight moved to slip under the tom and roll away, only narrowly escaping his cruel grip.

Greysight felt a wave of fear wash over her as her wounded shoulder and leg suddenly gave out beneath her, causing her to stumble for a brief moment. Willowstar had already turned to face her, and before she could leap away after regaining herself, the tom's massive body connected to her own, sending the blind she-cat tumbling across the stone.

Willowstar snorted as he watched her go until finally the she-cat lay motionless on the ground. "Useless." he growled.

The TreeClan leader turned away from the blind she-cat and fixed his gaze back toward Darkpelt and Lostheart who had both risen to their paws and were now standing not far from him, locked into position. Willowstar grinned, revealing sharp teeth stained with his own blood that had run from his face.

Lostheart gave a small nod to Darkpelt and ran at Willowstar with claws outstretched, causing the TreeClan leader to lower himself toward the ground in preparation. Thorn sharp claws suddenly dug into his body from the side, distracting the tom as he turned to meet the sharp gaze of Greysight. Lostheart ran up in front of the TreeClan leader, lashing out with a single paw as the tom leapt back to avoid her claws, his own claws scraping the earth as he went. Greysight had since moved in front of him in preparation for attack and prepared to leap.

"Darkpelt!"

Greysight suddenly jumped back a good distance from Willowstar and crouched low toward the ground, catching Willowstar by surprise. From behind her, Darkpelt leapt over Greysight and ran into Willowstar at full force, causing the tom to skid back as he scrambled to regain his grip on the stone. Darkpelt's claws locked onto Willowstar as the two toms became linked together in a battle of strength. Darkpelt's legs shook beneath him as he struggled to hold the massive tom back, and he gritted his teeth issuing a deep growl. His claws scraped the stone beneath him as he slowly began to get pushed backwards; his muscles felt as if they were slowly tearing apart inside of him as he strained to overpower the much larger tom.

"Now!" Darkpelt managed just as Willowstar thrust him back, but not in time to avoid Lostheart and Greysight's unison attack. Greysight claws connected with Willowstar's already bloodied face, splattering small crimson droplets over the rock while Lostheart slashed out at Willowstar's legs, causing him to step back to avoid her attacks.

Willowstar's eyes were wide in fury and his eyes had become insane black slits as he threw up his head, letting the blood fall. His teeth were gritted firmly together, so tight in rage that it looked as if they could crack at any second as Darkpelt and Lostheart latched onto him. "You cannot defeat me!" he roared. "I am eternal!" Willowstar moved to make a mighty heave that would release him from the two cats' grip as he roared his final line.

Greysight suddenly leapt up from behind the group and tossed a long stick toward Lostheart. The she-cat promptly grabbed it between her jaws and, with all her energy, thrust herself forward, plunging the spear-like branch toward Willowstar. Everything happened in slow motion as it pierced through the sharp, white fur of Willowstar's throat until finally breaking through the other side, sticking out oddly from the back of his neck, staining white fur red with blood. The tom's normally narrowed, yellow eyes were wide in shock as blood began to form in his throat and he let out a massive cough, spraying blood into the air.

"Now!"

It was in this split second that Darkpelt, Greysight, and Lostheart shoved forward, pushing Willowstar with all their might. The tom had no time to react as the ground suddenly disappeared beneath him and his body wavered for a split second before he fell backwards into the gorge, vanishing into the darkness below.

Lostheart stood at the edge of the ravine and had watched him as he went, taking note of the tom's widened eyes as he stared beyond her and blankly upwards in the form of tiny slits before he disappeared completely. A chill ran down her spine as she watched the tom vanish into the darkness just as Greysight and Darkpelt padded up to the edge beside her.

All was silent as the three stood at the edge of the ravine beneath the dark sky, the wind blowing their fur lightly. Greysight suddenly chose to interrupt the quieted disbelief, "Is he..."

Darkpelt said nothing as he stood in place, staring down into the ravine.

"TreeClan cats don't swim." Lostheart meowed quietly. What was at the bottom of the dark ravine, no cat knew for certain, for none had ever dared to travel down there; but Lostheart knew that the river had to run somewhere beneath the darkness, after all, where else would the waterfall lead?

Greysight said nothing more and joined her clanmates in simply staring down into the dark abyss, despite not being able to actually see anything. Darkpelt turned to the blind she-cat after a moment, curiosity lining his face.

"Where did you find that stick?"

Greysight turned toward the flecked tom and blinked. "From this small tree over there, I snapped off one of the branches. I don't know what I was thinking, but I somehow I thought it would help." she meowed, turning toward the direction of the small, flowering tree in question. Lostheart followed her gaze to look at the familiar tree whose flower petals had now begun to line the grass around it and found herself blinking before a strange sense of peace came over her.

* * *

Lostheart, Greysight, and Darkpelt began walking back through the field in silence, each still trying to fully process what had happened. Had they really...defeated Willowstar? A large grin broke out across Greysight's face as the blind she-cat suddenly dashed forward, catching Darkpelt and Lostheart by surprise. Both cats blinked as Greysight danced around the grass, smiling to herself before turning back to them. "Don't you feel it? Look! The fighting has stopped!"

Lostheart and Darkpelt looked up past her and into the distance where they could see a large group of cats, some of which glowed lightly in the darkness; however, there was little movement from the crowd. They seemed to be waiting for something.

Lostheart looked up past the cats in the distance and to the sky above them as the world around her began to lighten, and once black clouds began to fade into a mere gray, the wind having stopped completely.

At their approach, movement broke out amongst the cats, and they were immediately met by the faces of their clanmates and the ancestors standing behind them. Thistleprick broke out into a wide grin and let out a cheer as he saw them, while Roseclaw sighed in relief beside him and smiles broke out amongst their clanmates. Lostheart blinked as she realized that the TreeClan cats had vanished upon the disappearance of their leader and all who now sat in the grass were either of OceanClan, LightClan, DarkClan, or StarClan.

Their clanmates immediately ran up to them, looks of amazement and concern written on their faces. "Willowstar-" Raggedear began.

"-Gone." Darkpelt meowed, causing the cats' eyes to widen slightly in disbelief. Thistleprick let out another laugh while Roseclaw padded closer to them with Moonfur, examining their injuries worriedly. The apprentices had begun to speak amongst each other around them, each cat's voice suddenly covering up the others with questions of how they had done it and what had happened.

Greysight retold the events of the cliff to the eager, listening cats, making sure to describe every big picture detail of their encounter. "If it wasn't for Lostheart," Greysight meowed, "I don't think it could have been possible." Greysight's words caused Roseclaw's eyes to widen slightly as she took in her blind friend's genuine smile. The blind she-cat had always been very arrogant and self confident, and for her to say such a thing was truly a surprise. Roseclaw found herself smiling as well; even Raggedear seemed to share in the clan's joy as Amberpaw bounced excitedly around him and Moonfur.

Thistleprick laughed at the sight and turned back toward Lostheart and Darkpelt who had yet to say anything. Upon seeing Darkpelt's impassive expression, Thistleprick's smile suddenly faded as Darkpelt stepped past them and stopped before the familiar body of a silver tom. The clan became quiet as they watched him go, moving to follow their clanmate, expressions changing in an instant.

Lostheart and the others looked up; however, when the sound of pawsteps and the dim glow of light became apparent. Across from where they stood, the whole of their ancestors stood before them, and at their front was a starry, golden tom. Greysight could only watch in amazement as she took in their faded forms and recognized her foster father as he stepped forward.

In the crowd, Greysight's eyes landed on the she-cat she had seen earlier with the bushy white tail, and toward the lanky tom and the familiar siamese she-cat sitting beside him. The three cats met her gaze, and with soft smiles, they slowly faded from her vision, causing Greysight's heart to stop in her chest as the familiar faded whisper tickled her ears.

_'We're proud of you...'_

However, it was not just Greysight who saw the cats. Lostheart and the rest of DarkClan watched as well while several of the StarClan cats slowly began to fade away into small trickles of light that drifted up toward the sky before fading completely.

Lostheart stood frozen in place staring ahead at the now small group of StarClan cats.

At the front of the group, Sunstar's deceased form was pressed closely against that of a she-cat; Silentshadow sat as gracefully and beautifully as ever, her pelt sparkling lightly in the dull atmosphere as she and Sunstar met Lostheart's gaze. Sunstar stared blankly at her for a moment before he gave a small nod as a light smile adorned his and Silentshadow's face and together, the two cats faded away.

Once they had vanished, only a single cat was left in the clearing. Beside her, Lostheart's clanmates turned away and had begun to move around and step closer toward Browneyes, seemingly unaware of the lone figure still standing in the grass. His spotted foot remained as clear as ever, even in this starry

Lostheart felt her heart stop in her chest and she hurriedly stepped forward in an effort to stop the tom from vanishing like the others. "Wait!" she meowed.

Ivyfoot paused and let his gaze fall onto the black she-cat with the strange eyes. Lostheart bit back her tongue, instantly averting her gaze as her eyes fell looking back toward Browneyes's body.

Ivyfoot followed her line of vision, and vibrant green eyes slowly closed shut in understanding as his body began to fade, a peaceful smile on the tom's face. "When a warrior dies, they do not truly leave this world. Their spirit lives on, watching over the forest in nature, watching over those they care for. Do not fear, Lostheart..." Ivyfoot meowed, voice a faded whisper as he met Lostheart's gaze for a final time, "So long as one exists in memory, they live on forever." Ivyfoot finished, smiling warmly before he too faded away; leaving behind an empty space, almost as if nothing had ever been there at all. Behind her, the others gave no sign of having heard or even seen Ivyfoot, leaving Lostheart standing alone in the grass.

Lostheart silently made her way back toward the others to where Darkpelt sat looking down at his brother, expression more pained than she had ever seen it before. Raggedear suddenly stood up from where he sat upon her approach, "There was no stronger warrior." he meowed, speaking not of any physical strength or battle prowess, but of the kindness Browneyes had so often displayed.

Darkpelt hunched over more, face shadowed beneath him. Moonfur, Roseclaw, Thistleprick, and Lostheart all agreed silently as they remembered their friend. Browneyes had saved her life; he had believed in her, in them. The tom had always been there for the clan; and though he might not have been the largest or strongest warrior, he held much more meaning to their clan than any set of extra paws.

"We'll hold vigil." Greysight meowed. "For Browneyes."

Darkpelt nodded and finally rose to all fours, mouth set in a firm line as the tom one again chose to put up a barrier around himself. Thistleprick moved to stand beside him as the two mourned for Browneyes, and the clan stood around them in vigil.

Lostheart sat watching for a while, but eventually padded away into the grass. She stopped a few fox-lengths away from the group and looked up into the sky as the gray world around her began to change, and the first few rays of orange sunlight broke through the clouds. The sky far up above remained dark as the sun began it's slow ascent, but the stars still remained visible from Silverpelt; and amongst them, a single star stuck out to her, shining brighter than the rest.

The familiar orange light of sunset and sunrise came over her as she watched the glimmering star, her mouth quivering slightly. Then slowly, a small smile grew across Lostheart's face as she was unable to hold back her feelings any longer.

It was over.

Silentshadow and Ivyfoot, she had seen them, had seen their smiling faces again. The raw emotion she felt overwhelmed her, and she couldn't stop herself from smiling in pure joy up at that single star.

_"I've never been that special- an average tom at most, but more than anything, I wanted to see you smile again. Like you did when you were a kit."_

No, she would never forget.

"I see you smiling."

* * *

**Fin**

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**It is complete! So clearly this took a little while, but I was really busy and it was long. I did a WHOLE BUNCH of edits too. Hopefully it came out alright and you guys have enjoyed the story. Its still hard for me to believe I got this far. xD I also hope that you guys picked up on a lot of the main themes of my story and the different significances of my titles (this one in particular had a ton). I would love to hear all of your final thoughts and questions in a review along with things you have picked up on or remember as well as predictions. And just overall thoughts on the character on whats happened on anything and everything. Thank you for reading!**

**Insipirational Music:**

**Door in the Air- The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspain Soundtrack**

**Ganondorf's Battle Theme Orchestrated- The Legend of Zelda Twilight Princess**

**Shirohae- Naruto Shippuden Soundtrack**

**P.S Keep your eyes peeled for the final book 3 of the DarkClan Trilogy sometime in the future. I can't gurantee an exact time because it all depends on my busy-ness-levels.**


End file.
